Angel of the Water
by FairyChild11
Summary: She had saved him from certain death, never knowing that her decision would change the course of both their lives forever...
1. Safe

She felt it in the air just before she surfaced.

As the girl's head broke the surface of the water, she bore witness to the first time that the new Blue King's Sword of Damocles formed in the night sky.

The beam of cerulean light shot up into the night sky before breaking into a downward spiral that shaped into a crystalline spear before it disappeared into pinpoints of a million blue stars that revealed a glowing, rapier like object with a sapphire center.

The sight made her nervous, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel awed at the sight of the symbol of a new King's rise, even if it would one day be his downfall.

 _ **Will things be better?**_ She wondered as the waves lapped around her.

The only answer was the night breeze.

* * *

Anna opened her eyes to the feeling of electricity in the air.

Quietly, the little albino got out of bed, and padded to the window in her bare feet. Undoing the hatch, she opened the window, and gazed at the stars in the night sky, her long white hair billowing in the night breeze.

Suddenly, a beam of light shot into the sky, before forming into a giant, rapier like object. Quickly, the little girl took one of her marbles, and peered up at the Sword of Damocles that had just formed. It was similar to Mikoto's in the sense that it was the symbol of the rise and fall of its chosen King, but at the same time, it was nothing like the Red King's; where Mikoto's Sword of Damocles was rough and bold like fire, this was smooth as an icicle that could cut through the wind with its cold sharpness.

 _ **A new Blue King has risen.**_

* * *

They hadn't known each other; in fact, they'd never met until they had been brought to the Strain Centre in Nanakamado, but the black haired girl had protected her from the man who had murdered her parents, and been tortured in her place as a result. Koshi Mizuchi had intended to repeatedly choke, burn, and drown Anna because he believed that the pain would stimulate her powers of perception so that he could make her the Blue King, but Amira Arashikage, a Strain whose power was as mysterious as the girl herself, had stood between the mad scientist, and the little girl. She had formed a shield that had an exterior almost as hard as a diamond around Anna, making her float mid-air as if she was underwater as a result, and protecting her against the man who intended to harm her. Strangely enough, the older girl's protection had also made Anna fall into a deep slumber that blocked her ability, but hadn't stopped her from sensing that Amira was being put through the torture that was originally intended for her. Mizuchi repeatedly tortured the girl to punish her for her interference, and to try and break the shield that she had formed around Anna, but it held.

Amira had endured it all to protect her, and give her time to send out a call for help to the Red Clan, led by Mikoto Suoh. When they arrived, Amira had unleashed her true power that was control over water, and weather manipulation in order to save Anna and several other Strains who had been taken prisoner by the Gold Clan. During their escape, she showed Anna that she was unaffected by the repeated drowning she had been put through because she could breathe under water ( even though she had no gills ). Warning Anna not to let go of her, Amira dived underwater with the little girl in her arms, and to the former's surprise, she was able to breathe as well as long as she held onto the latter. Another surprise that awaited Anna was seeing that Amira had substituted her feet for a fish's tail at will while underwater, giving her the appearance of a mermaid. Amira had also camouflaged herself and Anna so that they wouldn't be spotted by Mizuchi and his followers as they made their escape through the water.

When they reached the river and Anna spotted Izumo Kusanagi, Amira had set her down on the riverbank, and watched her make her way to the Red Clan's second in command. But when Anna turned back to her mermaid like friend however, the older girl was gone, and Anna hadn't seen or heard from her since then.

Until now.

* * *

Reisi Munakata brought his saber up just in time to counter the attack aimed at him, grunting as he felt the impact drive him back.

He barely had time to turn before the concrete near his head exploded, the impact knocking him back, and blurring his vision as debris and shrapnel flew around him. He felt himself lose his footing just as he heard his men call out to him, and everything went dark, his senses fading in a downward spiral.

He felt himself hit the water, and tried to make his limbs move, his eyes open, but his body wouldn't obey him as he sank into the water…

 _ **Is this the end?**_ He wondered. _**Was my reign as the Fourth King to last only for a short time?**_

As if to answer his question, he felt a pair of slender arms go around him, and he was suddenly able to breathe again; as his head broke the surface, he gratefully filled his lungs with more air.

When he regained consciousness, he could hear the waves crashing near him, and the chill of the night breeze against his face. But what was more was the water trickling over his eyes, and the injured parts of his body.

He tried to move, and groaned at the pain in his limbs. He then felt an arm go around him, and pull him up slightly so that his head and shoulders were pillowed on the warmth that slowly pulled him out of oblivion.

" Easy now, " a soft voice – a girl's voice soothed. " It's alright; you're safe. "

The water continued to pour over him, and strangely enough, Munakata felt the pain fade away little by little until it was almost non-existent.

" Breathe, " the same voice coaxed. " Live… "

Soon, the water was no longer coursing over his injuries, and he felt himself being held tenderly, his hair being brushed back from his face.

Slowly, Munakata cracked his eyes open, and found himself looking up at a vision so surreal, he was sure that he was dead.

She was illuminated by the moonlight, her long hair flowing over her milk white shoulders and over her torso in a veil darker than night, her slanting, wide eyes an intense, deep sea, crystal green that seemed to glow amongst the shadows obscuring her features when she turned to look at him as she felt him stir.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him waking up, and she immediately set him down gently before turning, and plunging into the dark waters of the ocean; just before she disappeared completely, Munakata thought he saw a deep blue green tail in place of her legs, and fins in place of her feet…


	2. Remember

" Captain! "

The sound of his second in command calling him broke through the fog in his mind, and he turned his head before opening his eyes to see her and the rest of the Special Squad rushing towards him.

Groaning, he sat up slowly, taking note of the way that his joints ached, but not like before.

Upon reaching him, everyone surrounded him, and Ryuho Kamo helped him up, keeping his arm around Munakata's waist. The Blue King nodded his thanks to his clansman who supported him as he was still somewhat groggy and disoriented.

" Captain! " Awashima stepped up to him. " Are you alright? "

Munakata tried to smile, and ended up grimacing. " Somewhat, Awashima-kun. " Blinking, he straightened, and turned towards the ocean, his violet eyes scanning the dark surface, searching the shadows that danced with the waves, but she was gone…

 _ **The girl was gone.**_

* * *

She watched him from her place behind the rocks, keeping to the shadows as the waves rose and fell around her. When he turned to look out over the water, she ducked behind the rocks, her heart pounding as she imagined those violet eyes scanning the surface of the night darkened water, and she felt her face warm as she remembered how close he had been…

 _Amira saw the Blue King's Sword of Damocles form in the night sky, near the place where she was swimming, and once again, she found herself awed at the sight. Curiously, she swam closer, wondering what was going on to make it manifest so close…_

 _The sounds of battle reached her ears, and she felt a chill run through her at the familiarity of it…_

 _The Blue Clan was engaged in battle with a group of rogue Strains, and as she swam closer, she saw the various powers clash with the auras of the Blue Clansmen._

 _Her eyes were drawn to a tall figure that was engaged in an intense battle dangerously close to the water with the man who could only be the leader of the opposing group, and there was something… majestic, and enigmatic about him._

 _He was tall, well over six feet, and muscular with broad shoulders, with a military bearing making him seem even more so. He was dressed in a long sleeved, dark blue trench coat that reached almost down to his ankles, and was unzipped from the waist down, held together by a black belt with a gold buckle. On the left side of his waist, he wore a dark blue sheath had several gold straps over it. He had messy, blue black hair parted on the right side, his bangs falling over his handsome face, and intense violet eyes behind rectangular shaped, frameless glasses._ _In his hand, he wielded_ _a gold handled sabre with a streak of blue near the tip that was adorned with a sphere, his movements so elegant and confident that she found herself smiling in awe._

 _ **So,**_ _she thought._ _ **You're the new Blue King.**_

 _Amira was convinced that he would win._

 _But it didn't happen._

 _Somewhere along the way, someone had obviously decided to play dirty, and Amira felt her heart stop just as the concrete pillar next to the Blue King exploded dangerously close to his head, causing him to fall._

 _She hurried in his direction, and saw him hit the water before sinking slowly, apparently unconscious. Amira wound her arms around his waist just as she reached him, and swam towards the surface, knowing that the one thing he needed was to breathe. She heard him gasp just as they broke the surface, before his breathing steadied, and he sank against her, the back of his head pillowed on her shoulder while she pulled him away from the dangerous area where he had almost died._

 _She brought him to a quiet, abandoned area that she had seen on many occasions whenever she swam, and lay him down on the shore._

 _His eyes flickered, but never opened._

 _Pillowing his head on her lap, Amira took advantage of the moonlight to assess the extent of his injuries, frowning when she saw the ugly wound on the right side of his forehead, and the somewhat deep scratches across his eyelids._

 _ **He will lose his sight.**_

 _Concentrating, Amira touched the wave that had just come in, and was gratified at the way the water responded to her. She watched the water spiral mid-air at her command before she used her hand to form a makeshift funnel that brought the precious substance to where she needed it to go. The water trickled down her palm towards the Blue King's eyes, and she focused so that it flowed over the scratches on his closed eyes, along with the red mass that was the wound on his forehead._

 _ **Heal his wounds, heal his injuries,**_ _she thought silently._ _ **Wash away his agony so that the only pain he feels will be from when he needs to wake up…**_

 _When the last of his visible wounds was healed, she formed a watery blanket that flowed over his body, and she sensed his unseen injuries also being healed little by little. He groaned slightly, turning his head towards her, and she gathered him to her as the treatment continued._

" _**Easy, "**_ _she soothed._ _ **" It's alright; you're safe… "**_

 _She held him as the water did its work, enjoying the sight of his face so close to hers, along with his warmth and weight in her arms…_

" _**Breathe, "**_ _she entreated._ _ **" Live… "**_

 _ **Please live…**_

 _When the water had done its work, she held him closer as she brushed the hair from his face with her free hand, wanting the moment to last a little longer…_

 _The sound of screeching tires as several vehicles came to a stop nearby caught her attention, and she turned her head towards the source, peeking over the rocks that sheltered her and the man in her arms from view._

 _At least four trucks obviously belonging to Scepter 4 had stopped some distance away before several individuals dressed in blue uniforms – almost similar to the Blue King's, while at the same time, different – alighted and fanned out to search for him._

 _ **It's time to leave…**_

 _She felt him stir in her arms, and turned to look at him…_

 _Amira almost forgot to breathe as she found herself caught in twin amethyst orbs that gazed up at her as he began to regain consciousness, and for a moment…_

 _ **She knew that she couldn't stay…**_

 _Quickly, but gently, she lay him down before moving away, back towards the water. Just as she turned to dive back into the sea, she saw him gazing at her, the look in those beautiful eyes almost incomprehensible…_

 _As the water closed over her, and she made her way towards the dark depths, the Blue King's majestically handsome face filled her thoughts, so Amira swam for a bit before emerging behind a rock at some distance from the place where she had left him._

* * *

 _ **He's alright.**_

The thought made Amira sigh in relief as she watched the Blue King being led away, flanked by his men, although she had to duck every now and then since he kept on glancing over his shoulder, as if he could sense her presence.

When he boarded one of the trucks, and the doors closed behind him, Amira tried not to think of the sudden sense of sorrow, and the pain in her chest that almost robbed her of her breath as she watched the trucks start one by one before turning, and driving away.

Her eyes moved to the Sword of Damocles that had disappeared with the Blue King's fall, and formed once again before he was found….

* * *

 _ **Had she been a dream?**_

Munakata brought his hand up, and he stared at his palm, clenching his fingers slowly.

Following Scepter 4's return to headquarters, Munakata had been examined by the doctor at the infirmary, and somehow, he wasn't surprised that the man couldn't find any injury on his person, despite Lieutenant Awashima's account of what had happened. The Blue King remained quiet as the doctor declared him safe and healthy, and hid his smile at the expression on Awashima's face. They'd left the infirmary together, before parting ways in front of the Information Department, and as Munakata strode away, he could feel her eyes on his back, the questions that she wanted to ask.

Now, as he gazed at his hand, he allowed his mind to go back to the events following his fall; the more he thought about them, the more he was convinced that the girl was real. His brow furrowed as he remembered the sight of her diving back into the water, only this time, instead of a human form, she'd had the form of a mermaid.

Her fins and tail, instead of being covered by scales, had been adorned with dark, turquoise crystals that had reached all the way to her upper body, covering her breasts from view; her shoulders and arms, however had been left untouched, and he remembered their milky white sheen in the moonlight.

 _ **If only he could remember her face…**_

* * *

When Awashima entered the Captain's office thirty minutes later, she found the man with his fingers steepled in front of him, his violet eyes staring inward, his expression thoughtful.

" Yes, Captain? "

" Awashima-kun, " The Blue King folded his hands on top of his desk. " Have the Information Department search through their lists of registered Strains for any individual with an affinity for water, aged between thirteen to eighteen years old, female with black hair. "

His second in command blinked, surprised at the abrupt request, and its unusual field. " Sir? "

" The Strains who were arrested were not the only ones present, " Munakata elaborated. " There was female Strain nearby, in the water. She saved me, and healed my injuries, although I am not quite sure how; that was why Dr. Mikasa could find no mark on me, despite the explosion that almost resulted in my loss of sight, or possible death. "

Understanding dawned on the woman's face, and she saluted before exiting his office to relay his order to the Information Department.

Eyes like the unexplored depths of the sea with crystal like clarity set in shadows appeared in his mind, and he picked up a jigsaw piece.

 _ **I will find you.**_

* * *

Amira stepped out of the shower, and reached for the towel on the rack next to the stall.

The Blue King was alright, and she was glad. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a frisson of apprehension run through her as the knowledge that he had seen her surfaced.

 _ **Will he try to find me?**_ She wondered. _**Or will he dismiss seeing me as a mere dream?**_

No answer came to her, and it wasn't like she was expecting one.

Clad in a cream colored bathrobe, Amira emerged from the bathroom, toweling her hair dry. She tried not to think of the Blue King's handsome face, or those beautiful eyes that seemed to look into the depths of her soul…


	3. This is Who I Am

She almost had a heart attack when the woman behind her emitted an ear splitting scream, and just as Amira turned around, she doubled over, clutching her stomach.

 _ **She was going to have a baby.**_

Amira immediately made her way to the driver. " Hey, mister! " she clutched the pole as she came to a stop almost beside him, barely managing to avoid falling since she had been running in a moving vehicle. " Is there a hospital nearby? That woman's about to have a baby! "

The bus driver almost reared back at the sight of the black haired teenager who had run up to him, somewhat intimidated by her haunting beauty, and fierce approach. " Y-yeah, there is! " he stammered, trying not to lose sight of the road. " It's right around the corner. "

The black haired girl sighed with relief. " Thank goodness, " she breathed. " Can you please take us there? "

Earlier, he'd been intimidated by her fierceness; now, her polite request startled him just as bad. " S-sure thing, miss. "

The girl nodded. " Thanks. "

Amira made her way back to the woman. " We're almost at the hospital, " she announced. " Is there anyone I can call? "

At the sound of her voice, the woman looked up at her, momentarily forgetting the pain that announced the birth of a new life that was tearing through her. Like the driver, she was startled by Amira's appearance, her green eyes in particular. " Yes, there is, " she gasped, and gave out the number.

Her water broke just as the bus came to a stop, and she screamed once again before the black haired teenager got her arms around her, and pulled her to her feet.

Amira jogged beside the gurney as the responding medics wheeled her towards the delivery room, and as the doors closed behind her, she brought out her phone, and dialed the number that Inari Munakata had given her.

* * *

Taishi Munakata arrived barely thirty minutes after receiving her call, and he wasn't alone.

She heard him asking for directions at the admittance desk, and as the woman provided him the information, she also pointed out that the black haired girl was the one who had brought her. Amira rose to her feet as he approached her, and wondered if she should have stayed seated as her eyes came to rest on the man beside him.

 _ **She hadn't expected to see him again.**_

He was dressed the same way she had seen him on the night she had held him in her arms, and now, in the fading light of day, she was able to see him more clearly.

 _ **He was so beautiful…**_

Realizing that she was staring, she gave herself a mental shake and took a step back as the Blue King came to stand in front of her, his brow furrowing slightly when he saw her reaction.

" Were you the one who called me, Miss? " Taishi Munakata asked, drawing her eyes from the man beside him.

Grateful for the distraction, she turned to him. " Yes, Sir, " she answered. " Her water broke while she was on the bus. "

Taishi Munakata grimaced. " Good thing you were there, " he commented.

Amira snorted in a most unladylike way. " Good thing she was close to the hospital when it happened, you mean, " she corrected, her expression never changing.

She was trying desperately not to fidget, and blush at the sight of the Blue King.

Taishi Munakata's eyebrows rose at the girl's straightforward speech before he nodded towards the man beside him. " This is my younger brother, Reisi Munakata, " he introduced.

Now she was stumped. _**His brother?!**_ Amira bowed in greeting, her heart racing. " Good afternoon, Sir. "

The Blue King greeted her in turn, never taking his eyes off her. " Good afternoon, Miss. "

" You're so formal, kid! " Taishi Munakata laughed.

Amira slid a glance at him. " I don't know you intimately to act casual with you, " she pointed out quietly. " And I'm not a child. " She turned at the sound of Inari Munakata's scream from the delivery room, followed by the sound of not one, but _two_ babies crying, never giving Taishi Munakata a chance to respond to her blunt comment.

The newly appointed father rushed to the doctor who had just exited the delivery room, confirming that his wife and twin children were healthy and fine.

Amira smiled inwardly at the news, grateful that everything had gone smoothly. She turned to leave, and found herself looking up at the Blue King who had suddenly blocked her way. " Leaving so soon, Miss? " he asked teasingly, a light smile playing over his lips.

Amira almost melted at that smile, but kept her expression the same. " Yes, " she confirmed. " Your sister in law, and her babies are safe; your brother is here, too, so I don't see where I fit in. " With those words, Amira tried to move past the man who was making her heart race, only to have him stop her with a hand on her shoulder.

Munakata felt the girl tremble slightly at his touch before she met his eyes. " What? " she asked in the same monotone that she had greeted him and his brother with.

She may have spoken quietly, but Munakata didn't miss the flash of fear in her deep sea, crystal green eyes, or the way she had trembled when he touched her. " You should also be present since you are the one who brought them here, " he said gently. " I'm sure my sister in law would like to see you. "

She looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. " Maybe some other time, " she said softly before removing his hand from her shoulder, and turning towards the exit. " I have to go. "

She had only gone a few steps when he called her. " Miss. "

The girl stopped, and for a long moment, everything was still. Then slowly, reluctantly, she turned to look at him, waiting. " What is your name? " he asked, taking a step forward.

She took another step back. " Does it matter? "

Munakata raised an eyebrow. " Yes, Miss, " he answered. " It does. "

She was silent for a moment, obviously contemplating what her decision would be, before sighing tiredly. " Amira Arashikage, " she relented before turning and striding away.

Munakata didn't try to stop her.

* * *

 _The little girl saw the boy as she put the last shell in her bucket. He was sitting on the shore, watching the waves as they ebbed in their usual pattern._

 _There was something about him that made the girl forget her usual caution with strangers, and before she knew it, she was standing beside him, her green eyes looking at him curiously. When he realized that she was there, he turned to her, and she thought that she was looking at the most beautiful eyes – next to her mother's - in the world._

 _His eyes were violet, like amethysts in the moonlight, and they went perfectly with his handsome face, and black hair with its sapphire highlights._

 _Without saying a word, she reached into her pocket, and drew put the shell she'd found earlier. She offered it to the boy, and smiled shyly at the surprise on his face as he accepted her gift before she turned to leave._

* * *

 _ **The girl had been extremely cautious… perhaps terrified.**_

The thought occupied the Blue King's mind as he arrived back at headquarters and acknowledged the salutes of his men, relaying the order to have the files on water inclined Strains brought to his office; he intended to look through those that he hadn't been through yet.

He remembered her caution, and the recognition that lit her deep sea crystal green eyes when she saw him, along with the way she had trembled when he touched her. When she was leaving, he'd suddenly remembered the girl from the night he'd almost died as he watched her retreating back.

 _ **They'd looked the same…**_

To say that Amira Arashikage was beautiful would have been an understatement despite the fact that she hadn't smiled the entire time he'd spoken with her, although at one point, she had looked like she was about to before she caught herself.

She was a petite, slender girl, with milky white skin, a baby featured, oval shaped face, wide set, deep sea crystal green eyes, a small, pert nose, and naturally pink lips. Her thick, jet black hair had flowed down her back before curling at the ends that reached her knees. She had been dressed in the uniform of a student from Ashinaka High School, and judging by the length of her skirt, she was a conservative dresser.

Munakata had also noticed the natural grace with which she moved, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground…

As the unopened files were deposited on his desk, the topmost folder caught his eye when a large photograph fell out, revealing the girl who had occupied his thoughts.

Determined to know more about Amira Arashikage, the Blue King opened her file and began to read…

* * *

Amira Arashikage's life hadn't been an easy one. Everywhere she turned, she was met with pain and betrayal, and the only love she had known was what was taken from her.

Her father, Raijin Arashikage was a direct blood relative of the infamous Arashikage family, a clan that was notorious for being a family of killers who many suspected were responsible for the slaughter of many prominent figures in Japan. In short, the Arashikages were a clan of assassins. He was, however, a man who did not tolerate useless bloodshed, and refused to follow in his family's footsteps. Instead, he became an army helicopter pilot who was later discharged after an injury that left him unable to perform. His expertise in flying helicopters, however, was what saved him from going into retirement, and as a result, he became a flying instructor. He was reputed to be very strict, and somewhat bad tempered, never tolerating those who slacked off, or thought that they were too good to be taught. Many flying cadets failed under him as a result, but those who passed deserved the marks they received.

His wife, Amaria Hiruko, was a perfect match for him since she was a medical technologist at the most prestigious blood bank in Shizume City. She was the black sheep eldest daughter of a ruthless, tyrannical provincial politician who had wanted a son instead of a daughter, and tried to make her into a boy – something that she had resented. Her mother was no better than her husband, in fact, she was worse because she was even more ruthless than her husband, and very scheming. They had a total of six children, the majority of who had followed in their heartless parents' footsteps in their cruelty; only Amaria, and her youngest brother, Ryuujin whom she had helped flee to Canada were said to be the decent ones who refused to have their lives dictated by tyranny, hence their being considered the black sheep.

Amaria's father had intended to have her marry the equally cruel son of a political acquaintance, thus sealing a powerful alliance, but she had defied her parents, and married the man she loved, and they disapproved of: Raijin Arashikage.

When their families learned about their union, both husband and wife were officially disowned by their families, something that they were grateful for; the only family member they ever maintained any contact with was Amaria's youngest brother, Ryuujin, who eventually died in a plane crash when he was on his way back to Japan to visit his sister.

Both husband and wife distanced themselves physically and emotionally from their said families, brushing off any attempt at contact since they never trusted them, and they wanted the right to live their lives. When the Kagutsu Crater tragedy took place, claiming more than seven hundred thousand lives, both their families were among the casualties, leaving them and a few others as the only surviving members of their clans.

They had two daughters, Ayami and Amira, and both girls were as different as night and day: Ayami, the older one, inherited her father's gold skinned, raven haired, black eyed, stocky features, giving her an exotic look that attracted the attention of several men despite her age. She was also something of a tomboy, but at the same time, she easily panicked when it came to heights and the sight of blood. Ayami was very popular, not only among the male population, but also at school because of her outgoing attitude, and constant participation in extracurricular activities, which did a lot for her since studying wasn't her strongest point, resulting in average grade academics.

Amira, who was three years younger than her sister, had her mother's fragile, yet hauntingly beautiful features, along with her petite, slender body which seemed to intimidate many people; like her mother, she was often mistaken to be someone younger than her age, something that both annoyed and amused them. She was the quiet, introverted, and more observant of the two sisters, constantly following her mother around, but it was pretty noticeable how she was the one who was the more adventurous than her sister when it came to heights; she also didn't flinch at the sight of blood. Unlike her sister, Amira was noted to be something of a bookworm who was pretty smart in her academics, but she never showed any interest in extracurricular activities. It was also said that she had learned how to drive a car, and maneuver a helicopter before she could walk due to her father's habit of always bringing her with him whenever he was flying one, and putting her on his lap while he drove since she was five months old. She also had her mother's knack for medical knowledge, often acting as a sort of paramedic when there was no doctor around.

With parents descended from some of the most feared clans in Japan, both Ayami and Amira's lives were far from boring; like their parents, however, they preferred not to flaunt themselves to others since they knew that it would cause trouble for them. Since their lineage on both sides was well known, the Arashikages were treated with respect bordering on fear wherever they went.

Amaria was a Strain with the ability of weather and water manipulation, the latter which could also be used for healing and protection. She was an excellent swimmer, and could take on the form of a mermaid at will; instead of scales decorating her body, however, she was covered in turquoise crystals that were more green than blue, while Amira's crystals were more blue than green. Amira's powers slowly began to manifest when she was eight years old, but didn't come into full bloom until she was thirteen, though; her mother, recognizing that her daughter had inherited her powers, guided her in the harnessing and developing of her abilities.

Raijin Arashikage, despite his reputation for his strictness and bad temper, was shown to be a loving, protective father and husband; he was also noted to hate people who hurt children, and never raised a hand against a female, no matter how angry he was. He knew about his wife and youngest daughter being Strains, although Ayami was an ordinary human like him, and didn't seem the least bit phased by the fact; if anything, he resolved to protect his family even more because of that.

Raijin and Amaria weren't fighters only due to their stubborn attitudes, but were also excellent in hand to hand combat: Raijin was an expert in Judo Aikido, knife fighting, and a sharpshooter ( his favorite movie happened to Dirty Harry ), while Amaria was a champion in both Kendo, and Western Style fencing, skilled in Krav Maga. They taught their daughters how to defend themselves, but cautioned against using their skill the wrong way.

Trouble wasn't far away, though; in fact, it seemed to follow the family wherever they went.

They'd heard about how after the death of Jin Habari, many Strains – registered and unregistered – were being snatched off the streets by the Gold Clan, never to be seen again because their fates were to become guinea pigs for their nefarious experiments. Strains who adhered to the law by registering were said to be among the first to disappear, and because of that, many of them became fearful, and refused to register.

In the summer when Ayami was fourteen and Amira was eleven, their parents were approached by Koshi Mizuchi with the proposition for a supposed " cure " that could ensure that mother and daughter could live normal lives – in exchange for allowing him and his team to experiment on them. Both husband and wife refused, telling Mizuchi to go and do something anatomically impossible to himself because they would not cooperate with him no matter what he said.

They paid the price for their defiance, but even though, they would still make the same decision.

They were at their summer house for vacation when tragedy struck, scarring them forever.

Koshi Mizuchi was determined to have his way, no matter what.

One morning, when Raijin went to town to replenish their supplies, Mizuchi and his men ambushed his wife and two daughters while they waited for his return. All three men had put up a fight by barricading themselves in the house, and making use of the guns that were being kept for such emergencies, along with anything they could get their hands on.

Realizing that they were fighting a losing battle as their ammunition slowly ran out, Amaria resolved to hide her children, but the front door was kicked down before she could act, and she was gunned down alongside Amira who had refused to leave her side even after Ayami escaped, both mother and daughter being left for dead due to the wounds that they'd sustained.

Ayami had managed to escape through the back door, and fled through the woods, intending to run to town and find her father, but she never made it. As her mother and younger sister, lay side by side in pools of their own blood, Mizuchi and his men caught up with her; since she wasn't a Strain, the mad doctor decided that he had no use for her, and left while his men took turns with Ayami.

Raijin, while in town, had also been ambushed in his own way: two of Mizuchi's men tried to ambush him from both sides, but they had made the mistake of underestimating him due to his injury. Raijin made short work of his attackers, although he refrained from killing them; after they were brought to the precinct, and interrogated, Raijin learned of Mizuchi's intention towards his family, and rushed home with some of the local law officials.

The house was a wreck, the windows shattered, and the walls ridden with bullet holes, the sight filling him with an even worse feeling of foreboding as he searched for his wife and daughters.

What he found was the worst nightmare for any man who loved his family more than life itself.

Amaria was lying face down in a pool of blood, partly covering Amira who lay as still as the mother she loved and resembled, and a few feet away, was Ayami, with her clothes torn, her body violated, her spirit broken beyond repair.

The police were summoned, along with an ambulance, and Ayami had to be sedated just so she could be loaded onto the stretcher. Just as the medical examiner was about to load Amira Arashikage into a body bag like her mother before her, the young girl's eyes cracked open, and she gasped for breath, something that shocked everyone present, and confirming that she was alive. She was rushed to the hospital, like her sister, and underwent a grueling ten hour surgery to remove the bullet that had almost finished her; her mother's shielding her with her own body hadn't been in vain. Following the surgery, she was wheeled into the Intensive Care Unit where her father, who was also worrying about her sister's condition, received the news.

Amira had sustained extensive internal damage as a result of the bullet hitting high in her chest, ricocheting off the collarbone, nicking her heart muscle, and passing through her right lung; the doctor had removed it from the base of her spine.

The good news was that she had survived the ten hours of surgery without any complications; the next twelve hours under observation would be crucial, and determine if she would survive or not.

There was also a chance that she would never walk again.

Ayami committed suicide by jumping out the window during Amira's operation, but not before leaving her father a letter that told him what had happened; in her letter she also blamed the tragedy that had taken place on everyone: her mother and younger sister for being Strains, and her father for not being there to protect them.

Grief stricken by the death of his wife, the possible death of his youngest daughter, and the suicide of his eldest daughter, Raijin Arashikage finally allowed the slumbering beast in him to awaken so he could exact revenge on those who had taken his family from him. As the hours that determined whether his youngest daughter would survive or not passed, he made arrangements for the cremations of both his wife and eldest daughter, while making various calls related not only to the people who were responsible for the necessary details, but to others as well.

Yes, Amira had survived, but when she opened her eyes ten hours after her operation, she learned from the doctors present that neither her mother nor her sister had survived. Upon her father's request, Amira was only informed that her sister had been killed while going to get help; she was never told the truth about what really happened.

Her father didn't want her to know.

In addition to the grief of finding that her mother and sister were dead, Amira found that her father had left her, with only a letter on her bedside table. In the letter, he confirmed Amira's suspicions that he was going to find the people who had been responsible for what had happened to her, her mother, and sister.

He was going to make them pay, and make sure that they - and anyone connected to them - never hurt his only surviving daughter ever again.

 _ **He would protect her, no matter what.**_

 _ **Even if it cost him his life.**_

Her father, prior to leaving, had arranged for his daughter to receive the necessary treatment when she was ready, and to be home schooled so that she didn't miss out on her education while undergoing physical therapy. As Amira slowly began the path to her recovery, she heard news of the constant, almost unexplained deaths of several Gold Clansmen, many of whom were connected to the government. The investigations into their deaths eventually revealed their nefarious activities, and corruption that was allowed by the government, causing something of an uproar as the countless kidnappings and deaths of various " special foreigners " that were ignored by police officials due to the influence of the Gold Clan were brought to light.

Amira knew who was responsible for the deaths of the said Gold Clansmen, but never breathed a word about her knowledge.

Despite leaving his daughter alone, Raijin Arashikage never forgot that he was her father, and proved it by sending her various gifts with his letters each week. He had also opened a bank account in her name that was replenished handsomely every two weeks, something that only she was allowed to touch. Despite the attempts of their few surviving relatives to take control of her finances for their own purposes, Amira held firm, showing them that she wasn't one to be crossed, and she wasn't going to take things lying down.

The gifts and letters that she received, however, never showed any return address, something that didn't surprise the young Arashikage, but also saddened her since she knew that her father was working incognito. One his gifts, however, had contained a burner phone that he would call her on every now and then. Whether he knew it or not, those calls he made to Amira were as cherished as his letters, and far more precious than the gifts that he sent her each week, although they were bittersweet; their conversations, while keeping her father grounded, and connected to his humanity also revealed to the little girl that he'd left behind that she was slowly losing him to the vengeance that he was exacting on those who had wronged them. Each time their phone calls ended, Amira would start crying, feeling more helpless and alone than when she learned that he'd left her on her own.

Her twelfth and thirteenth birthdays were spent in the hospital, and after the latter dawned, chances of her making a full recovery became bigger since her Strain abilities – which seemed to have slowed in their development due to the tragedy that befell her – bloomed to their fullest. She was able to use the water in the pool where she did her leg exercises to heal her injuries, allowing her to walk again, although she had to do it slowly since her mother had warned her prior to her death that using too much power too soon would exhaust her for long periods of time.

Her father came to see her on the day she was discharged from the hospital, and despite the joy she felt at seeing him, she recognized the changes in him.

She also knew that he couldn't stay for long.

During their short time together, her father tried to make up for the time that they had lost, and the time that would be taken from them by taking his daughter flying in one of his helicopters, along with their favorite bookstores, and other places.

The night before he left her again, her father stood on the seashore as he watched his youngest daughter turn into a mermaid even more beautiful than those in the movie Pirates of Caribbean: Strange Tides; it was the first time that she had been able to change form since her mother died. It was also a memory that he would keep for when he was alone, along with the memory of how she had turned into a mermaid alongside her mother when they were all still happy.

It was also the last time that Amira would ever see her father alive in a moment of peace.

The killings caught the attention of the Gold Clan, and after Amira Arashikage was revealed not only to have survived the slaughter of her eleventh summer, but also made a full recovery, it didn't take Mizuchi and his men to realize who was behind it all.

One day, when she was fourteen years old, and still being home schooled, Mizuchi had two of his men ambush and chloroform the young mermaid, and brought her to their facility where she was held hostage while they used her phone to call her father. They let him hear his daughter's voice as they threatened her life, and because he loved his daughter, he agreed to exchange his life for hers.

It was during the entire drama that she met Anna Kushina, a Strain whose parents had been murdered by the same man who was holding Amira hostage, and whose aunt was also kidnapped by him in order to emotionally blackmail the little girl to go to their facility so he could torture her in order to sync her with the Dresden Slates to make her the Blue King.

The fact that a little girl was about to become another victim of the bastard who murdered her mother and sister made the black haired mermaid determined to protect the child; when they were brought into the laboratory where they would both be tortured, and experimented on, Amira kept her promise to Anna.

As Mizuchi approached them, Amira placed herself between him and the child, using her water inclined power to form an impenetrable shield around Anna, which allowed her to breathe, although the density of the liquid caused her to fall into a deep slumber, blocking out her senses so that she wouldn't be able to see what happened next. For that, Amira was grateful, because she didn't want the little girl who had become so precious to her to see what kind of agony she was forced to endure as she waited for her father to come and rescue her.

Because of her interference, and because he wanted to break the shield protecting Anna, Mizuchi repeatedly choked her to the brink of unconsciousness before burning Amira's arms with a blowtorch before submerging her in a basin of water. He would then heal her, and start the procedure all over again, probably forgetting that she could breathe underwater, and she would have continued to endure it if one of his men hadn't opened his mouth and revealed how they had taken turns at her older sister when she was trying to go and get help, which resulted in her suicide. The revelation made Amira snap, although she still kept her shield around Anna. Just as she was submerged once again, she used the water to her advantage by creating a whirlpool that struck her tormentors with the force of an eighteen wheeler, knocking several of them back, while others were sent flying.

While they struggled to their feet, she used the water to form a wall that protected her and Anna before picking up the blowtorch that had been used to burn her arms, and turning it on. She then tossed it towards the sprinklers, and the heat then made them turn on. Still keeping Anna shielded, Amira then created her own tidal wave that knocked several of Mizuchi's men back into the pool where they had tried to drown her, and as the water closed over them, she took a broken metal rod, and hurled it like a spear at the machines that were used to monitor her vital signs while she was being tortured. The machines fell into pool with the submerged men, electrocuting them to death.

Amira never blinked as it happened.

During the time that she was being tortured, she'd overheard that there was a way out through the water routes, and she knew that it was her chance. Releasing Anna from her watery cocoon, Amira carried the little girl in her arms as she ran through the corridors, pursued by other scientists in the facility. Telling Anna to hold onto her, Amira dived into one of the giant pools, and changed into her mermaid form. Camouflaging themselves so that they looked like the water, and _becoming_ the water, they were able to escape, finally surfacing in one of the rivers outside where Anna saw Izumo Kusanagi with the rest of the Red Clan as they worked out how they would charge the place where the little girl and her aunt were being held. Amira set the child on the riverbank, and watched as she made her way towards the Red Clan; she only turned away when the Red King and his second in command turned at the sound of Anna calling out to them, knowing instinctively that she was safe with them.

Amira went back into the facility because she remembered that her father was said to be arriving before she and Anna had escaped. When she emerged, however, chaos was reigning because her father had singlehandedly charged in with his guns blazing, determined to save his daughter. Amira regained her human form, and picked up a gun, aiding her father in the gunfight that they were the very center of, and when she was out of bullets, she picked up a katana that had been used by one of the Gold Clansmen, showing her father that he and her mother had trained her well. Father and daughter fought side by side, and as he fell after being impaled by the enemy, he looked at his youngest daughter with pride.

Cutting her last opponent down, Amira turned in time to see her father falling to the floor while trying to hold his guts in, and ran towards him. Desperately, she tried to pull him towards the pool of water she had used to escape and come back so she could use it to heal him, but it was too late. Raijin Arashikage breathed his last in his youngest daughter's arms, breaking her heart for the very last time.

Not all of the enemy had been brought down, though. During the fight in the lab, Koshi Mizuchi had escaped, trying to regroup, and now, as the girl who had thwarted his plans more than once sat with her dead father in her arms, he strode towards her, determined to capture her once again.

They say that there is a paycheck for everything you do – whether good or bad; in this case, it was time for the Gold Clan, and Koshi Mizuchi to receive theirs.

Numb with grief over losing her father, Amira Arashikage rose to her feet, and faced the man who was responsible for it all. Using the same shield that she had used to protect Anna to keep her father out of harm's way, she fought Mizuchi as the Red Clan invaded the building to rescue her and Honami Kushina.

The battle was intense, and she was faintly aware of how the building was staring to come down as a result of all the power being used. When she got close enough to Mizuchi, she used her father's double bladed, combat knife to slash his stomach open, and rip his guts out while keeping him alive so he could witness the price of his crimes. As she wrapped his intestines around his throat, she used them to strangle him, and drag him back towards the lab where he had tortured her, her eyes bright with pain. When she reached the table where he'd strapped her so he could choke and burn her, she did the same with him while leaving his entrails hanging before dousing him with ethyl alcohol, and setting him on fire. She stood back and watched, only turning and away when he was completely engulfed in flames, and no longer screaming. Finding a gurney, she lay her father's body on it, and draped a long sheet over him before pulling him towards the exit at the far back. She moved through the back alleys so she wouldn't be seen, eventually leaving her father outside the hospital where she had been treated.

The death of her father weighed heavily on Amira Arashikage, especially since he was her last remaining family member, making her hate the Gold Clan even more than she already did. They tried to contact her several times, offering to let her join them, but she had flat out refused, never giving them a moment to catch their breath as she told them in very sharp tongued tones exactly what she thought of them.

The investigation into the destruction of the Nanakamado facility brought even more of the Gold Clan's crimes out into the open, and making them hide their heads in shame, despite their King being the ownr of the Dresden Slates.

In the midst of it all, Amira had heard about the rescue of Honami Kushina following her Anna's escape, although the trauma of the entire ordeal had made her forget the child, and the fact that she was her niece. Amira's heart ached for the child, but she didn't attempt to contact her despite knowing where she was staying.

It wasn't that she didn't care for Anna; the little girl was precious to her, and it was because she wanted to protect her that Amira never tried to go and see her. She knew that there were other members of the Gold Clan who were trying to capture her, and she didn't want the child to get into the eye of another storm with them.

Amira had heard rumors over the years of Koshi Mizuchi having a daughter who was a sadistic psychopath, and was often present during the torture sessions that various Strains had been through, delighting in their pain; those who couldn't withstand the torture, her father handed over to her so she could have fun with them before she killed them. She hadn't been present during the ambush that killed her mother, or when she herself had been tortured, simply because she thought that they would end too quickly for her.

However, since the destruction of the Nanakamado facility, Amira knew that it was only a matter of time that they would meet….

* * *

The Blue King closed the file on Amira Arashikage and sighed, realizing that night had fallen, and the hour was late.

No wonder the girl had been cautious with him, and quickly fled on the night that she'd saved him. Thanks to her horrible experiences at the hands of the Gold Clan, it was no surprise that she didn't trust the authorities, and considered them her enemy.

Still, the fact that she was possibly still in danger since Koshi Mizuchi's psychotic daughter was on the loose was a fact that couldn't be ignored. The girl may be enough to make the League of Assasins look like amateurs, as well as stubbornly independent, but she was still a child…

His decision made, Munakata sat back in his chair, his eyes on Amira Arashikage's picture.


	4. Promises & Memories

_Anna looked up at the older girl who was put in the same room with her. The binds on her wrists had been undone before the door closed behind her._ _ **" Bastards, "**_ _the girl muttered._

" _**Are you… ? "**_

 _At the sound of the soft voice behind her, the other girl whirled around, and stopped, her jaw practically dropping to the floor at the sight of the doll like child._ _ **" Who are you? "**_ _she asked, coming to stand in front of Anna, her already wide eyes becoming even wider in disbelief as she realized that this girl was another victim of Mizuchi's._ _ **" Did they hurt you? "**_

 _Anna could feel the suppressed rage in the girl beginning to stir at the unbound cruelty of the Gold Clan, and how a child wasn't spared from it._ _ **" My name is Anna Kushina, "**_ _she answered softly._ _ **" And they haven't touched me yet; I just arrived. "**_ _She blinked at the girl._ _ **" And you? Why are you here? "**_

 _The girl sighed in obvious exasperation, and sat down beside her._ _ **" My name's Amira Arashikage, "**_ _she answered._ _ **" Those guys kidnapped me probably for the same reason that you're here: to experiment on. "**_

" _**Not for the same reason. "**_

 _Anna's words got Amira's attention._ _ **" Huh? "**_

 _Trying to control her trembling, Anna told the older girl the truth about why she was here: Mizuchi had murdered her parents when they refused to hand her over to them so that he could force her to sync with the Dresden Slates so he could make her into the Blue King. She had been under her paternal aunt's care since then, and was made a clansman of the Red King, Mikoto Suoh. The problem was that her aunt had been kidnapped by Mizuchi, and he had threatened to kill her if Anna didn't go to the facility to let him experiment on her. The entire time that she was talking, Amira's dark expression had slowly darkened even more until she looked ready to rip out the guts of those who were responsible for the situation that she and Anna were in._

 _Anna's trembling hadn't escaped the older girl's attention either, and as the child told her story, Amira had gathered her in her arms and pulled her onto her lap, stroking her hair. She would never know how her presence comforted Anna in her terror, and she held onto her arm as the girl rested her chin atop her head. Amira's eyes wandered the cell, searching for any possible weapon to use, or an air vent that could be used for their escape._

 _There was none._

 _None of them knew how long had passed, but suddenly, the doors opened, revealing Koshi Mizuchi flanked by two other men dressed similarly to him, his cruel, spider like eyes on the duo in the holding cell before him as Amira Arashikage rose to her feet and placed herself protectively in front of Anna. He laughed in delight at the sight of Anna who stared at him, her ruby eyes wide with fear as she held onto the older girl._ _ **" So you've returned, "**_ _he noted._ _ **" Wise decision. "**_

" _**You dirty bastard, "**_ _Amira's voice was low, but there was no mistaking the hatred and rage that showed in her eyes._ _ **" Threatening and murdering an innocent child's parents so that you can play God with people's lives just because the Gold King holds the Dresden Slates! You'll pay dearly for this! "**_

 _At his signal, Mizuchi's two aides entered the cell, closing in on the two females._ _ **" I can assure you that my intentions are quite honorable, Arashikage-chan, "**_ _he sneered._ _ **" The best things are never gained without any pain. "**_ _The entire time he was speaking, his eyes were on Anna._

 _Amira's eyes never left the murderer who had taken her family away from her, and robbed the child behind her of the right to live a normal life, putting her in a situation similar to her own. Her tone, gentle while addressing the child she was trying to protect, also carried an ominous note that was directed at their captors. Behind her, she felt Anna's hand slip into hers, and she squeezed it assuringly._

 _ **I will protect you.**_

 _ **I'll get you out of here.**_

" _**Close your eyes, Anna. "**_

 _Just as the two aides reached for her and Anna, Amira lashed out. With a murderous cry, she swiped at the man on her left, trying not to think of the sickening sensation that threatened to make her vomit as her fingers dug into his flesh, ripping his eye from its socket while her foot shot out, and caught the man on her right in the groin. She tossed the bloody eyeball in her hand away as its former owner collapsed to the floor while howling in pain as he clutched the bloody hole where his eye had been only seconds ago, her expression matching the cold rage roaring through her. She then turned to his partner who was still gasping from the blow to his pride and landed a straight kick to the area below his kneecap, feeling a sense of vengeful satisfaction as her move resulted in the sound of cracking bones before bringing both her hands up at the same time, and clapping them over his ears, blasting his eardrums. As he collapsed in turn, Amira turned her attention to their boss, moving to make sure that Anna was still behind her and protected._

 _ **I will not allow them to harm you.**_

 _Amira was so focused on advancing towards Mizuchi that she didn't see her one eyed opponent from earlier grab the taser from his belt as he rose to his feet. She only heard Anna call out her name before a shocking pain struck her from behind and everything went dark._

 _When she opened her eyes, everything was in a blur, and all types of sound just seemed so LOUD. She was lying on a cold floor, the tiles making her feel more chilled than before. The sound of feet scuffling around irritated her as she slowly tried to re-orient herself._

" _**Amira..? "**_

 _Anna's voice was like a breath of fresh air to Amira who was feeling suffocated in the stuffy recesses of her disoriented brain. As her senses began to re-align themselves, she realized that her head was pillowed on Anna's lap, the precious child's ruby eyes wide with fear and worry; she could see that much even though her vision was taking its sweet time to clear._

" _**Baby… "**_

 _Her words came out in a low croak, even as she tried to sit up, and only managed to do so after a slow and agonizing five minutes – with help from the child she wanted to protect._

 _They were in a room that looked like a cross between Victor Frankenstein's laboratory and a torture chamber._

 _ **It was both.**_

 _Amira heard Mizuchi order his men to prepare the blow torch that he would burn Anna with, along with the basin where he would drown her, and the noose that he would choke her with so that her power would be stimulated by the pain._

 _Upon realizing that Amira was awake, Mizuchi ordered his men to tie her in the chair where he would electrocute her after he was through torturing Anna._

 _ **He would make her watch.**_

 _Amira's chest tightened at the realization that Anna would be put through the kind of torture that not even an adult would survive, and as she rose to her feet, pulling Anna, she knew what she had to do._

 _ **No.**_

 _ **I won't let you!**_

 _Once again, she placed herself between Anna and their advancing captors. Anna could sense her fear, but also her fierce determination and her anger. Comforted by the presence of her friend, Anna concentrated her power so she could send out a message to Mikoto Suoh and the rest of the Red Clan so that they would come to save them. She knew that Amira was waiting for her father, but he wouldn't arrive on time. Touching her friend's hand, Anna telepathically communicated what she had done, and that HOMRA had been alerted to her situation; they were now on their way._

 _Amira hugged her, allowing her to see one of her rare smiles that came from her heart._ _ **" It's alright, Anna, "**_ _she whispered._ _ **" I'll protect you. "**_

 _ **Anna realized too late what Amira intended to do.**_

 _Before Anna could stop her, Amira pushed her away slightly, before emitting a strong aura, her eyes on her._

 _ **I will protect you.**_

 _Suddenly, a watery bubble formed itself around Anna, and as she found herself being lifted off the ground so that she was floating mid-air, she pulled one of her marbles out, and looked at her friend through the ruby sphere._

 _She saw Amira's long, black hair billowing like an ebony veil, along with her green eyes that were like the sea, and the crystals that were part of its mysterious treasure. Amira watched Anna, her smile sad, but also content._

 _ **I promised that I would protect you,**_ _Amira's voice sounded in her mind as everything began to fade around her._ _ **And I intend to keep that promise. Not for me, but for you.**_

 _ **The last thing she saw was a furious Koshi Mizuchi slapping Amira.**_

 _Anna opened her eyes to see Amira running out of the exploding lab with her in her arms._

 _ **She had been tortured.**_

 _Amira may have been able to put Anna to sleep so that she wouldn't witness what was being done to her, but that didn't mean that the little girl didn't know. The entire time she had been unconscious, Anna had been able to sense that Amira was in pain, but determined to hold out until HOMRA and her father arrived. Anna sensed the kind of agony that Amira had been put through almost as soon as the other girl had taken her in her arms before they fled the lab, and it broke her heart to know that the other girl had suffered in her place because she had protected her._

 _But Amira was obviously determined to keep her word – to protect Anna, and to kill Mizuchi for what he had done to them and their families._

 _When Amira had disappeared after delivering her safely back to the Red Clan, Anna had sensed her grief as her father died in her arms, and the rage that allowed her to kill Mizuchi before leveling the Nanakamado facility to the ground in retaliation. While she made her new home with the Red Clan, she sensed the other girl's presence in the same city, and knew that she was alive._

 _She also sensed that the danger that they had escaped from wasn't gone, and was just waiting for the chance to strike._

 _ **And when it did, Amira would be right there.**_


	5. Betrayal

" _ **I'm sorry, Reisi, "**_ _she whispered._ _ **" But I love him; I've always loved him. "**_

 _Those words drove the final nail into the coffin that was the love he'd felt for Miyuki Hizamaru. Without a word, the young man turned on his heel and left the apartment where he'd caught her, and his once close friend, Mitsuo Shokichi together._

 _The ring that he'd bought for her this morning was still in his pocket, but he knew that he didn't need it anymore; he also knew that it would be a waste if he threw it in the river._

 _Less than an hour later, he left the shop that he'd sold the ring to, the money that he'd gotten from selling it in his wallet. Although selling the ring that he'd intended to present to Miyuki after proposing marriage to didn't take away the pain of her betrayal with Mitsuo, it felt therapeutic since he knew that the day would come when someone else would purchase it with the same hopes and dreams that he himself had until earlier._

 _Hopefully, that person would not be betrayed the way he had been._

* * *

 _They had been friends since middle school, and that only made their betrayal of his trust even worse._

 _Reisi Munakata couldn't help that he was different from other people around him. From the time that he was a child, he had sensed the gap between himself and other children his age, and although it helped him handle those who had tried to bully him for it with relative ease, it had also made him feel isolated; even his own family had considered him strange, the same with several other adults he had interacted with._

 _He met Miyuki Hizamaru and Mitsuo Shokichi in middle school, and from the moment he'd met the girl with the light brown hair, and gray eyes, he had been smitten with her. He became friends with them after they had been placed in the same group for journalism class, and Miyuki had praised his eloquence in his submitted article, while Mitsuo had handled the designs for the class paper._

 _They had seemed to accept him despite his odd way of standing out – like a black wolf among domestic puppies, and for the first time, Reisi Munakata had felt that he fit somewhere in this world._

 _Reisi and Miyuki had started their relationship in their last year of senior high school, and he had thrown himself totally into it, and his studies at the university._

 _ **And yet, he hadn't seen what was right in front of him.**_

 _ **He hadn't seen that the two people he loved most alongside his family had stabbed him in the back until it was too late.**_

 _On the morning of the discovered betrayal, Reisi had seen the ring that he thought was perfect for Miyuki Hizamaru in the window of a jewelry store that he was passing while taking a shortcut to the university, and had decided to purchase it. He had decided earlier that he would ask her to marry him, and the ring seemed the perfect complement to it._

 _Reisi had gone through the day with the intended proposal at the back of his mind as he attended his assigned classes, and lectures, the end of the day slow in coming._

 _ **There had obviously been a reason for it.**_

 _Upon arriving at the apartment that Miyuki Hizamaru was renting, he used the spare key that she had given him to unlock the door._

 _ **Giving him the key had been her biggest mistake.**_

 _When Reisi Munakata walked in on the sight of Miyuki Hizamaru and Mitsuo Shokichi together on the couch, obviously after a bout of passion, his world collapsed on him, and their betrayal had shown on his face when they realized that he had caught them in the act._

 _Munakata hadn't said a word, only stared at them with eyes as cold as the sky over the sky over the North Pole during a blizzard._

 _And yet, damningly enough, they hadn't shown any signs of remorse for their actions; in fact, the woman who had only a few moments ago been the one he wanted to marry obviously thought that her confession that she had loved the man she had stabbed him in the back with justified her actions, filling Reisi Munakata with disgust too intense for words._

 _When he arrived home following the episode of betrayal, his mother was the first to notice the change in him; where he had once been " apart " but somewhat innocent, he was now aloof and hardened, his heart almost as cold as ice._

 _None of them asked him what had happened to his intended marriage proposal; it was written all over his face, his explanation of what had happened filled in the gaps, and answering many unanswered questions._

 _He focused entirely on his studies after that, never attempting to communicate with the traitorous pair, and when he was offered a two year scholarship on a student exchange program to London, England barely three weeks later, he took the offer without blinking._

 _It hadn't come as a surprise to his parents and his brother that he had taken the offer; in their opinion, time away from everything that had happened would help heal the wounds that had cut deep enough to freeze his heart from within._

 _When Reisi left for London, his wounds eventually began to heal, although in his letters and emails to his family, he never asked about Miyuki Hizamaru and Mitsuo Shokichi because he had decided from the moment that he'd realized that everything had been a lie that they were no longer a part of his life._

 _Yes, they had wounded him with their betrayal, but at the same time, but the world did not revolve around them._

 _ **He would not allow them to destroy him.**_

* * *

 _He was on his way back from London when they plane he was aboard was hijacked, and almost crashed._

 _It was also where he met Seri Awashima._

 _Taking charge immediately after disarming the hijackers, he'd felt the surge of power from the Dresden Slates that told him that he had been chosen as the new Blue King, the fourth of the Seven Kings, and saw his Sword of Damocles form for the first time; although he had never heard of the Seven Clans until then, the knowledge imparted upon his appointment was enough to give him another reason to hold his head high._

 _Upon safely landing the plane, he had immediately made his way to the_ _Tokyo_ _Legal_ _Affairs Bureau, Civil Registry Department, Annex_ _4_ _, also known as Scepter 4 Headquarters._

 _ **The Blue Clan's official base of operations.**_

 _While he was away, he had heard of the inevitable fall of the Gold Clan for their atrocities against " special foreigners " on the news, and from his family; headlines had also termed the said crimes as " Crimes Against Humanity "._

 _His arrival had been anticipated by the people working at the said headquarters after they had seen his Sword of Damocles form earlier, but they had obviously been unnerved by his presence since he had made it clear that he did things according to his own rules, and cared nothing for being anyone's lackey._

 _The fact that he did not intend to bow down to the Gold Clan, and would not hesitate to bring them down further than they had already sunk after their crimes were exposed also warned them that he was a dangerous opponent._

 _Reisi Munakata had a lot of work ahead of him when he became the Blue King, and although there were times that the odds seemed against him, he was able to overcome them, and mold Scepter 4 the way it should be. The various people he'd recruited each had a unique individuality was what gave the Blue Clan the strength it needed during times of adversity._

 _Although some cases were unusual ( like when he had offered Saruhiko Fushimi the chance to join despite being a member of the Red Clan, HOMRA ), and his decisions baffled many of those around him, the Blue King stood firm in what he believed in, never bothering to explain himself._

* * *

He watched the clouds gathering in the night sky, preceding the arrival of the storm over the horizon.

His expression never betrayed the thoughts running through his mind, any more than his violet eyes gave them away, and that was lent a lot of mystery to the new Blue King.

Just like the impending storm outside his window, he knew that there was a storm coming.

A storm that involved the survival of two young Strains whose lives were taken from them by the Gold Clan's greed, and their mad doctor's ambition.

Amira Arashikage would fight to the end to protect Anna Kushina from Koshi Mizuchi's crazed, sadistic daughter, and her right to live without having to keep looking over her shoulder, Munakata knew.

Considering what was in her file, he knew that she was more than a match for any killer sent to put her down, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel somewhat protective of the young Strain, and he knew that it wasn't only because she had saved his life. Yes, her Strain abilities, and surviving the traumatic events that brought her world crashing down where a grown up might have lost his or her mind had also caught his eye, but at the same time, she intrigued him on a much deeper level…

 _ **A killer and a healer, intelligent but naïve, an avenging angel and an emotionally scarred child.**_

Those were the only words he could think of to describe the Strain whom he'd met but twice, but the way she caught his interest was different….


	6. Come Back to Me

Hikaru felt a smile tugging on her lips when she saw the name on her phone's caller ID when the lunch bell rang. She answered the call as she exited the classroom and headed for her favorite spot on the roof. " You're right on time, Saruhiko. "

She heard the familiar, much loved clicking of her caller's tongue. " You gave me your schedule, remember? " the bored voice reminded her.

The silver haired girl laughed lightly, and sat down with her packed lunch box on her lap. " Have you eaten? " she asked in the same soft voice that comforted her caller without her realizing it. It had become a habit between them to talk while they were eating their meals during whenever Saruhiko Fushimi was busy at work, and they couldn't see each other; on his days off, Hikaru often skipped classes to spend time with him.

" About to… "

They had been children when they first met, and although they didn't really get the chance to be together until just before Saruhiko Fushimi had dropped out of high school to join Scepter 4, they cherished the moments that they spent together, although the young man could never put his feelings for the silver haired she-wolf into words.

He could never tell her because he was afraid that she didn't feel the same, and revealing his feelings to her would drive her away.

 _ **If only he knew…**_

 _ **If only he knew that she loved him too…**_

* * *

She was from a village in the mountains where time seemed to stand still while he was from a city where chaos was everywhere.

Her village was full of people who were wolves like her, and their chosen mates who were either wolves like them, Strains, or simply people who had chosen to be with them.

The first time she met him, she was seven, he was eight, and on a school trip with his classmates. He had taken the trip in order to get away from the hellhole that was the house he resided in, and although he had gotten sick on the ride, he wouldn't have traded it for the world.

Because it was the trip where he met the first person who was ever really kind to him, whose smile was like the moon shining on the darkest of nights.

When he entered the school with some of the other students, he immediately saw the difference in atmospheres between those who studied in rural places like the mountains and small villages from those who were in the city.

He was the last in line, and was bending down to tie his loose shoelace when a vision with white hair barely managed to avoid colliding with him from behind, dropping her books in the process.

For a moment, the bespectacled, raven haired boy stared in annoyance at the silver haired girl whose books were scattered before gathering them up and wordlessly handing them to her. He then turned his attention back to his still loose shoelace, and tied it.

She was still there when he was done, and rose to his feet. Her head was just past his shoulder, and as he looked down at her, he realized that her almond shaped eyes were a deep violet, like fields of lavender during sunrise, her silver hair flowing just past her waist. She looked up at the boy whose eyes were the deepest blue she had ever seen, not the least bit intimidated by the absence of a smile and prominent scowl on his beautiful face.

She had introduced herself, and after a moment of hesitation, he mumbled out his name, as if he wasn't used to talking.

They walked together without saying a word, and the entire time he was there, their eyes often met and held, although they didn't realize the significance of what it meant until almost ten years later.

The bus that was set to take Saruhiko Fushimi back to the city with his classmates wasn't working when it was time to leave, and Hikaru, already acquainted with him, offered to let him spend the night at her house while his other classmates and teachers opted to stay at the various houses in the village until their vehicle was repaired the next day.

Before he could even refuse as he'd originally intended, she took him by the hand, and led him to her home, never really talking unless she annoy him. He followed her, his eyes on the way her long hair swished like a curtain of silver behind her as she walked. When they reached her house, her parents welcomed him, seeming to sense his awkwardness at having to impose on them.

The night he spent there was a moment of peace for him, and he wished that the next day would never come so he wouldn't have to leave.

 _ **He wanted to stay with her forever.**_

* * *

It was with a heavy heart that he boarded the bus that was going to take him and the other students back to the city…

 _ **It would take him away from her…**_

She'd comforted him as they made their way to the bus, telling him that he could come back anytime he wanted, and that she would come to see him when it was her turn to take a trip to the city.

 _ **She promised that they would meet again…**_

* * *

" _**It's a promise! "**_ _Hikaru held her pinky out to him, putting up a brave face despite the heaviness in her chest at the knowledge that he was leaving._

 _Saruhiko blinked at the silver haired girl, still unable to believe that she would make such a promise to someone like him._ _ **" Really? "**_

 _She nodded._

 _They entwined their fingers in a pinky promise, and she untied the pink ribbon that held her hair in a braid, before tying it around his wrist. She then kissed him gently on the cheek, surprising him with her boldness, although a pink hue was starting to spread over her face. In return, he took the school necktie that he wore around his neck, and draped it over her head like a necklace, before kissing her on the cheek as well._

 _She was waving to him as the bus started, and he kept his eyes on her until she disappeared with the distance between the bus and the village._

 _He didn't know that she watched him until he was no longer in sight as well…_

* * *

She kept her promise, and came back to him barely three months later when it was her class's turn for a visit to the city.

Although the school that she was due to visit wasn't his, she separated herself from her classmates and began asking where his school was. Luckily for her, his school was barely a block away from the one she was visiting, and she was able to locate him from there by his scent.

He'd seen her peering through the bars of the school gate, and excused himself to go to the toilet before sneaking out to meet her.

Words could not describe the joy both of them felt at being reunited, even if it was only for a brief moment, and although their absences from their respective classes caused something of a panic, the fuss - and later their respective scoldings once they were found - had been worth the trouble.

They wrote to each other in the following years, in the spaces between the times that they could see each other, her letters – and the moments that they had together - more precious to him than words could say.

* * *

Her village was a place where time seemed to stop, and peace reigned.

However, that peace wouldn't last forever.

Because like the dark clouds that heralded the coming of a storm, three years later, the enemy descended in the dead of night when everyone was defenseless.

The Gold Clan had learned of the village, and its residents. They decided to take several of those who resided there back to their facility for experimentation, setting fire to the village, and capturing anyone that they could get their hands on.

Hikaru and her parents were among the few who were able to escape the raid, and fled deep into the mountains with the little possessions and money that they had. While they hid, they passed through several villages lower on the mountain, taking shelter where they could until they reached the city and rented an apartment where they wouldn't be noticed. She sent Saruhiko a letter telling him what had happened to her village, and imploring him not to come and find her in the city because he would be put in danger as well.

 _ **She would find him.**_

They found refuge in the Strain community, and after taking some time to adapt to her surroundings, Hikaru kept her promise to find Saruhiko once again.

He thought that he was dreaming when he saw her studying in the girl's school that was opposite his.

They spent their free time together, and even after he dropped out of school to move in with Misaki Yata, his time with Hikaru was more precious to him than the rarest treasures on earth.

She was with him during his fall out with Misaki, and continued to be there even after he joined Scepter 4…


	7. We Meet Again

Amira gazed at the full moon as the waves lapped around her, her hair floating around her, admiring the view.

" Is it true that a mermaid's kiss can save a drowning sailor, so he can breathe underwater? " a familiar, deep voice spoke from above and behind her, startling her, and as she spun towards the intruder, she wasn't surprised to see the Blue King standing on the shore among the rocks near her. He was dressed the same way she had seen him on previous occasions in his uniform, and she felt her heart ache at the reminder that they were worlds apart.

Munakata saw the pained, fearful look on her face as she watched him coming closer, and told himself to exercise more caution lest he cause her to panic, his chest tightening at the sight because it was so different from the last time he'd seen her when she had displayed almost no emotion.

Amira knew that she shouldn't stay because of the danger that he presented to her, but she did, although she didn't understand why she did it.

She saw him coming closer, knew that she had to leave.

But she couldn't…

Munakata saw the cautious way she watched him as he came to stand on a huge rock mere inches away from her. Slowly, he crouched down, and extended a hand to her. " It would be much better if we speak face to face on equal grounds, " he observed.

 _ **He was so beautiful…**_

Amira reached for his hand before she knew what she was doing, and when she realized that she had been about to place her trust in him, she drew her hand back as if she had been burned. For a moment, they remained that way, suspended in time.

 _ **Can I trust him?**_ She wondered as she looked from his outstretched hand to his eyes. _**Do I have a right to touch him?**_

Munakata saw her hesitance, felt her fear, and the deep breath that she took.

Amira was afraid.

 _ **Afraid that she couldn't trust him, afraid that he only wanted to use her.**_

 _ **Afraid that her heart would break.**_

He saw the exact moment that she panicked, and turned to dive back into the water.

" _**Wait. "**_

She stopped.

" Don't run from me, " he entreated with a gentleness that she never would have expected from someone of his position. " You have nothing to fear from me. "

He saw her tremble before she turned to look up at him again, and he wished that he could wipe the fear in her eyes away.

 _ **But he didn't know how…**_

For a moment, the Blue King seemed to falter, surprising Amira. Against her better judgement, she inched closer to him…

" I need to change… "

Munakata smiled in relief, and rose to his feet. " Of course, " he acquiesced. " Forgive me. "

 _ **Always.**_

She didn't know where the thought came from, and was relieved that he was facing away in order to give her some privacy while she reverted back into her human form and changed into her clothes. That way, he didn't see the blush that was stealing over her cheeks, or how embarrassed she was.

" You may turn around now. "

Munakata turned at her words, and felt his breath catch at the sight that greeted him.

Amira Arashikage was dressed in a simple, short sleeved, white summer dress that stopped just below her knees, the ebony veil of her hair hanging loose, and tumbling all the way to her knees, her flat heeled, silver gladiator sandals reaching halfway up her shins. Her pale face betrayed a blooming of pink over cheekbones, and she seemed somewhat awkward.

Strange how someone who had killed her attackers could feel so awkward in the face of a simple conversation, he mused as they made their way to more even ground. They walked for some time until they reached a spot where Amira was able to sit on the stairs, gathering and draping her hair over her right shoulder.

" I haven't thanked you properly for saving my life, and bringing my sister in law to the hospital, " Munakata spoke, watching her, and the way that her skirt billowed around her perfectly shaped legs. She was a vision of loveliness, but her experiences in life had left her oblivious to her beauty, mainly because she thought that the only reason people took an interest in her was only to use her for her abilities.

Amira was trying not to blush at the close proximity between herself and the Blue King. " I didn't expect you to, " she answered, not in the least bit surprised that he knew her identity as the one who had saved him, along with her abilities; he was the Blue King, after all, and Scepter 4 had the resources to find out the things she wanted to keep a secret.

" Why are you here, Fourth King? " she asked. " Are you here to apprehend me on behalf of the Gold King and his clan? "

Her last words were spoken with a bitterness that Munakata knew came from her bad memories, and couldn't fault her for her opinion considering what she had been through.

" No, " he answered honestly. " I came here out of my own desire to speak with you – not as one of the Seven Kings facing a Strain, but as a human being just wishing to speak with another. "

He sounded sincere, and although she was still afraid, she decided to take her chances, to hear what he had to say.

" It is true that your abilities as a Strain, and your other skills have caught my attention, " Munakata admitted. " And those are part of the reason I came here to speak with you. "

She waited.

" I would like you to join Scepter 4, " he announced, watching her reaction.

She was still, staring at him, stunned. " I… "

" I understand that this is very sudden, " Munakata told her. " However, I am no stranger to the fact that you and your friend, Hikaru Okamihime, who is also close to one of my clansmen, are targets of your classmates who are all assassins of different backgrounds, one of them being the daughter of Koshi Mizuchi. "

Amira Arashikage's expression darkened, but not before he saw the fear in her eyes. " No one outside of the Black Class is supposed to know about it, " she pointed out. " Anyone who finds out about it becomes a target – no matter what their age. "

 _ **Anna and this man might become targets…**_

Munakata had never taken his eyes off her. " I am aware of that, " he revealed. " It is another reason that I am offering that you join my clan since your knowledge, skills, and abilities are quite useful; however, my main reason for making this offer is for your own protection. For as long as you remain without a clan, you will constantly be a target, however, under Scepter 4, chances of you being unprotected are almost none. "

" I can take care of myself, " she spoke in a low, but lethal sounding voice, and Munakata realized that he must have come across as condescending.

" I am sure you are more than capable of doing so, " he countered. " Think about my offer. "

She gazed at him for a moment. He did have a point, she acknowledged silently. And she wanted to protect not only Anna, but him as well.

" I don't need to do so, " she replied. " I can give you my answer right now. "


	8. I Don't Want to Let You Go

Amira leaned back in her chair, glancing at her friend, Hikaru Okamihime, who, like her was a Strain, and a target of the Black Class.

 _ **Just how sadistically twisted is the headmistress who holds this class?**_ she wondered. It was tough enough to learn that she and Hikaru were both targets of the said class which was filled with assassins of every kind, one of them being the daughter of Koshi Mizuchi ( although Amira still had to figure out her identity among her classmates since she was using an alias ), but the fact that the headmistress, Meichi Yuri, was his sister definitely took the cake. She was as equally twisted as her brother, making Amira the target of the Black Class to torment her mentally and emotionally, and in retaliation for his death. The catch there was that Amira wasn't the only Strain to become a target of the Black Class; unlike the previous Black Classes that were organized where there was a single target, this year, there were _two_ targets, the other named Hikaru Okamihime. The silver haired girl was a Strain with the instincts and nature of a wolf – and she could change into one as well.

Both girls were Strains who had managed to survive the brutality of the Gold Clan after becoming targets, Hikaru having been been kidnapped by them at the same time as Anna and Amira, although the latter two hadn't crossed paths with her at the time. She had been drugged and kept in a cage with some of the other " Wolf-Strains " that had been captured alongside her, and when her childhood friend, Saruhiko Fushimi, who was a member of HOMRA learned of her abduction and Anna's, he had wasted no time coming to save her.

When Amira freed the Strains imprisoned in the facility before she brought it down, Hikaru was one of those who had managed to escape once the doors were unlocked, while others had not been so lucky. Those who were too emotionally and physically broken to try and escape died without ever having a taste of the freedom that had been taken from them.

Hikaru glanced at the clock. One more hour to go before class was over.

One more hour before she saw Saruhiko.

* * *

 _The first time she had shown him her wolf form, Hikaru feared that he would turn her away and never look at her again._

 _ **But he hadn't.**_

 _He had been burning up with a fever, so Hikaru and Misaki had skipped school to come and see him. While Misaki made some soup that would help chase Saruhiko's inner chill away, Hikaru had wiped the sweat from his brow, and applied a warm compress to his forehead to try and bring his temperature down._

 _She'd caught Niki Fushimi's scent in the air as he arrived, and felt her hackles go up at the malice that reeked off of him._ _ **That man**_ _came in just as Hikaru was helping Saruhiko to his room, Misaki on his other side. The sadistic smile on his face at the sight of his son's/victim's friends made Hikaru shudder, and when he suggested setting both of them on fire to have a little fun, she knew that she was looking at the face of evil. Saruhiko had tried to get her and Misaki to leave as_ _ **that man**_ _left to get some matches and a gallon of gasoline, but Hikaru and Misaki half carried him to his room where they barricaded themselves, and she made a rope out of the bed sheets that she immediately tossed out the window. They'd climbed out the window, only to find that Niki was waiting for them on the front lawn, intent on having his fun._

 _That was the last straw._

 _Teling Misaki to take Saruhiko to her house, she handed the former her keys, and just as_ _ **that man**_ _advanced on them, she snapped and turned into a white wolf with silver sheened fur in front of those present. It was almost hilarious to see the look on_ _ **that man**_ _'s face upon realizing that the tables had turned on him, and she chased him back into the house where he locked the doors so Hikaru couldn't reach him._

 _Unable to face Saruhiko and Misaki, let alone see their expressions, Hikaru had turned and run, not returning to her apartment until later that evening. She had forgotten that she'd given Misaki the keys, and when she arrived, she was still a wolf. Snatching some clothes from her closet, Hikaru hurried into the bathroom where she changed back into her human form, and showered to remove the day's grime from her body, and changed into her clothes._

 _When Hikaru emerged from the bathroom, Saruhiko wasn't about to let her off._

" _**So you're a she-wolf? "**_ _Saruhiko came to stand in front of her, his blue eyes softening in a way that she had never seen with other people. He was still sick, but that didn't mean that he wasn't looking for answers._

 _Unable to meet his eyes, Hikaru looked away and nodded._ _ **" I'm sorry I didn't tell you.. "**_

 _Saruhiko caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes._ _ **" Big deal, "**_ _he muttered._ _ **" You don't have to have strange powers to be a monster, and just because you're human doesn't mean that you're a saint. "**_

 _ **You're beautiful either way,**_ _Saruhiko thought_ _ **. So beautiful…**_

 _Hikaru knew that she loved him back then, but his acceptance of her other form had made her love him even more…_

 _Niki Fushimi obviously hadn't forgotten her for standing up to him, and defending his son, so he got even by tipping the Gold Clan off about her – for a price._

 _When she'd been kidnapped, Saruhiko Fushimi knew that he would do anything to get her back, and when he found her, he'd hugged her so tightly that she feared that her bones would break._

 _ **He hadn't wanted to let her go…**_


	9. Revelations

" Hey, Anna. "

The little girl looked up from the book that she was reading, her enormous ruby eyes looking directly at HOMRA's " animal trainer ", Tatara Totsuka as he came to stand in front of her. " Want to come shopping with Yata and me? " Tatara asked. " We were thinking about getting some food for tonight and some new clothes for you. "

" Make sure you _do_ get her some clothes this time, " HOMRA's second in command pointed out as he placed a champagne flute back on the shelf after he had wiped it. " The last time you three took her shopping for clothes, you spent almost all your money on the video arcade, and only managed to buy her one dress! "

He was referring to the last time the boys took Anna to the mall, and Rikio Kamamoto ended up footing the expenses for Anna's new dress since, as Izumo Kusanagi had pointed out, the money they had went to playing games at the arcade; although Anna had joined in, it still struck him sore how she only ended up with one dress instead of the intended three because her " big brothers " had acted more like children.

Anna closed her book, and nodded, glancing at Mikoto Suoh, the Red King, as he slept before she slid off the couch, taking Tatara's hand.

" Okay, let's go! " Misaki Yata, the Red Clan's skateboarding, loudmouthed vanguard announced as he headed towards the door.

Izumo Kusanagi watched the trio until the door closed behind him, and sighed.

" She's still not talking. " Yo Chitose observed sadly.

" No, " Izumo confirmed woefully. " Poor kid. "

From his place on the couch, the Red King opened his eyes, but remained silent, letting the others talk.

Anna had been alright after she was rescued by a mermaid like Strain who had also protected her during the time that it took for the Red Clan to learn about her situation, and come to her rescue, but that wasn't the end of the drama. As if the trauma of losing her parents hadn't been bad enough for Anna, HOMRA learned that after they'd found and rescued Honami Kushina, the trauma of everything that had happened took its toll on her by making her forget the little girl, and that she was her niece; there was also a chance that if she regained her memory, she would end up hating and blaming her for everything that had happened since even before her abduction, she had already been under a lot of pressure to hand her over to the Gold Clan.

The fact that Honami had forgotten her, and was better off not remembering her was the final blow in all the tragedies that had struck Anna; as a result of losing her parents, being taken hostage, nearly tortured by the Gold Clan, and Honami forgetting her, Anna lost her voice, her heart shattered.

The Red Clan had, of course, taken the child under their wing, all of their members supporting her, and trying to help her get past the trauma that had robbed her of her speech.

And yet…

* * *

A gleeful chuckle broke the late afternoon silence in the corridor as malevolent eyes watched Amira Arashikage leaving the campus with Hikaru Okamihime, both girls intending to do some pre-weekend shopping since classes had already ended.

 _ **This will be fun,**_ she thought, licking her lips in anticipation as she imagined the number of ways that she could have fund with them, especially the black haired girl who had killed her father.

 _ **I can't wait…**_

* * *

Amira and Hikaru couldn't shake the feeling that they were being followed, chills running up their spines.

It was no surprise that Hikaru had been able to sense the danger since her wolf instincts were sharply tuned, but since Amira didn't have them, it was her fighter's sense that told her that nothing was as normal as it looked.

And it wasn't.

Glancing behind her, Amira caught sight of Otoya Takechi several yards behind her and Hikaru, her cian colored eyes bright with anticipation and sadistic glee.

 _ **So,**_ Amira thought. _**I was right about you.**_

 _ **You are not who you make yourself out to be.**_

At school, Otoya Takechi was always acting playful and mischievous, but Amira had always suspected that she wasn't so. From the moment that she had seen the cian eyed girl with violet tinted black hair, Amira's guard had been up; looking at the girl had been like looking into the deep, dark depths of the ocean, and seeing the faint outline of a shark that was trying to get closer.

Maybe it was her instinct as the daughter of a man who had become the killer he never wanted to be in the last years of his life, or her mother's ever cautious nature that mad her suspicious, but either way, Amira Arashikage had always kept her distance from the seemingly playful classmate whom she knew was also a skilled assassin like her other classmates.

Or maybe it was her eyes. Those eyes had always reminded her of a black widow about to strike while camouflaged in the shadows of night as everyone lay sleeping.

" She's not the only one following us. "

Amira glanced at Hikaru as she spoke. The silver haired she-wolf had a grim look on her face, her deep violet eyes staring straight ahead. " Isuke Inukai is with her, and they've split up. "

Amira felt her lips lift in a cold smile. " Let's get to work. "

Both girls split up in wordless agreement, Amira going to the right, Hikaru to the left.

* * *

Scepter 4 finally had their answers, and now knew which direction to go.

Upon learning that the Black Class section of Ashinaka High School was filled with assassins of every order, and that after an almost twenty year hiatus, this particular year had not one but two targets to eliminate, the Blue Clan had been put on high alert. And it wasn't only because the Black Class was full of assassins, but also because one of them was a Strain like the two intended targets, and the daughter of Koshi Mizuchi.

Despite being only fifteen years old, the girl was the very epitome of evil, just like her father, although in a different aspect because she was very sadistic and bloodthirsty, taking great pleasure in the pain she inflicted on her victims from the moment that they fell into her trap until the last breath that they took. It was said that she always expressed severe disappointment whenever her victims succumbed to the torture she put them through because she wanted to keep them alive so she could inflict more pain on them.

The Blue Clan had seen the reports and pictures of each of her victims, the evidence shaking everyone to the core; in the photos it was quite obvious that the victims had died in unspeakable pain, their agony clear on their faces even in death, thus the title of the " 21st Century Jack the Ripper ".

Since one of the rules of the Black Class was that anyone who eliminated the two targets would get whatever they desired, she had decided to join because her main objective was to get serial killer insurance – the detective pursuing her to uncover her identity and arrest her would be eliminated, and she would be able to continue her killing spree with no hindrances whatsoever.

The implications of the situation would never be lost on Reisi Munakata, especially since one of the intended targets of the Black Class was the little mermaid who had risked her safety to save him from death; he also suspected that Saruhiko Fushimi, who was formerly one of Mikoto Suoh's clansman, was on edge since he'd learned that his long time friend, Hikaru Okamihime was among the targets of the Black Class. The young man had been quite tense since the reports came in, although he never said anything, but the tension was there. The other clansmen had noticed how tense the anti-social young man was, and were quite surprised when they had learned of his history with the silver haired she-wolf, considering that his only friend on record was Misaki Yata, HOMRA's loudmouthed vanguard who had declared him an a traitor and an enemy when he defected to Scepter 4. However, knowing that he would tell off anyone who tried to pry into his personal life, the other clansmen kept their distance.

The Blue King knew that Saruhiko Fushimi kept his personal life secret from others not only because he was someone who valued his privacy, but because he wanted to protect what he loved the most by keeping it away from others.

Munakata had done his own investigation into the young man's background prior to recruiting him, and learned about his parents being indifferent to him as a human being, and their child, with his father taking particular pleasure in terrorizing him. It didn't take a genius, or years of research to learn that his childhood had left its emotional scars on him, convincing him that the world was a selfish place where the only one he could ever rely on was himself, and his whole life only needed to revolve around those who cared for him – in his case, Misaki Yata and Hikaru Okamihime.

While the former had left his friend out in the cold, the young she wolf stayed by his side, quietly giving him her moral support, and being the quiet light that always broke the dark curtain surrounding him.

Munakata looked stoic, which was as clear an indication as any that he was tense, and with good reason.

While on the road, Scepter 4 had received the news that Otoya Mizuchi – who was using the alias Otoya Takechi – was one of the assassins of the Black Class, and had just been spotted among the streets of the Shibuya District, following a young girl with long black hair while her silver haired companion was being followed by a pink haired girl in a mini skirt; the latter had been identified as Isuke Inukai, an assassin's protégé.

 _ **Both girls were in danger.**_

The Blue King looked out the window as his vehicle raced made a sharp curve that nearly tilted it to the side, Amira Arashikage's lovely face in his mind's eye.

She had already struck him as a stubbornly independent young woman who, despite the dangers surrounding her, refused to be viewed as a damsel in distress, fighting tooth and nail against anyone who tried to cross her.

Still, she was in danger.

And this time, the Blue King would be the one to save her.


	10. Vengance

Anna felt the chill in the air while she stood beside Tatara at the counter as he paid for the dresses and shoes that he bought for her with his own money, Misaki standing just outside the shop.

Trying to control her trembling, Anna took her marbles out of her pocket and knelt on the floor, watching them as they began to spin rapidly in a circular motion. Her movement caught the eyes of her two companions, and Misaki came inside, his eyebrows furrowing as he squatted beside her. " What's wrong, Anna? " he asked, his usually rough voice gentle with concern for HOMRA's little princess.

In answer to his question, the little girl's already enormous ruby eyes became even wider, and both men didn't miss the flash of fear in them as Amira Arashikage's face flashed in Anna's mind, along with the sense of danger that had hovered over them at the time of their captivity under the Gold Clan. Without answering ( mainly because she couldn't speak ), Anna gathered her marbles and put them back in her pocket before rising swiftly to her feet, and running out the door, hearing Tatara and Misaki's voices as they called after her in alarm, but she didn't stop.

 _ **She couldn't stop.**_

She remembered Amira Arashikage well. She remembered how the older girl's presence had been a comfort to her in her terror while both of them were being held captive by Koshi Mizuchi for his own nefarious purposes, and the way the older girl had protected her like a guardian angel enfolding her wings around her.

 _ **She had protected Anna without fearing the price that she'd had to pay…**_

She hurried through the streets, her senses guiding her in the direction of her long lost friend until she reached what looked like a flower farm, or a greenhouse because of it was made of glass, and the plants inside. Anna couldn't decide which one it was, she didn't have time to do so as she entered the structure through the smashed glass on the side since the front door looked to be locked, the scents of various flowers and greenery greeting her.

It was already twilight, and Anna knew that if darkness fell, she would have a more difficult time finding Amira before her pursuer did.

Everything was silent except for the clicking of her heels on the marble tiles that made up the floor as she made her way around the maze of greenery ( even though she couldn't see their color ), feeling like she was in another world. Every now and then, she heard the sound of a bull finch, or a chickadee as the light of day finally faded over the horizon, wrapping her surroundings in shadows of the night that was illuminated by the stars and the full moon.

 _ **Amira,**_ she thought as she tried to find her friend. _**Where are you?**_

* * *

Hikaru entered the construction site, keeping her ears open for sounds of pursuit from Isuke Inukai, her pursuer.

The moon was shining overhead and as she ducked under the steel beams that made up part of the skeletal structure she had entered, she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. Ducking behind a mound of gravel, she reached into her pocket and pulled it out, her heart sinking when she saw the name on the Caller ID:

 _ **Saruhiko Fushimi.**_

 _ **Oh, Saruhiko,**_ she thought despairingly. _**Why did you have to call now of all times?**_

Taking a deep breath to steady her pounding heart, she answered his call, cupping her hand over the mouthpiece to muffle the sound. " Hello? " she whispered.

" _**Where are you?! "**_

She would know that bored, yet defiant voice anywhere. " I can't talk right now, Saruhiko, " she answered apologetically. " Please don't worry about me – "

" I'm on my way, " he cut her off. " Wait for me, and don't hang up; keep the lines open. "

" Saruhiko… "

" My, my, " Isuke Inukai's voice called mockingly, making Hikaru freeze before she slowly turned to find her standing atop the gravel mound. " Still talking to your boyfriend from Scepter 4 at a time like this? "

Hikaru cursed inwardly. She had hadn't heard her opponent nearby, and for the first time since the chase started, she felt scared...

 _ **Saruhiko…**_

On the other end of their call, Saruhiko swore inwardly at the sound of the other girl's voice, and how she had seemed to insult his relationship with Hikaru, although the fact that many people might mistake them as a couple because of how close they were came as no surprise.

Without hanging up, the bespectacled young man followed the GPS on Hikaru's phone, ignoring the other clansmen who tried to remind him not to go anywhere on his own.

 _ **Out of my way, assholes,**_ he thought. _**I've got someone important who needs me.**_

As he made his way closer to where Hikaru was, Saruhiko kept his ears open in case Isuke Inukai wasn't the only one on the scene, and he was glad he had taken the said precaution. Just as he entered the unfinished building on the construction site where Hikau's signal led, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, causing him to dodge to the right just as he caught sight of a giant sledgehammer swinging in the direction of his head, before hitting the ground in a roll, and coming back on his feet as he drew his knives out with his left hand, placing his right hand on the pommel of his sword just as his attacker's weapon slammed into the concrete pillar which he had been standing near. The impact opened up a large, spider web- like crack in the concrete, and he felt a chill run through him as he realized that it could have been his head with a large, gaping hole in it if he hadn't been alert.

" So it's true what Inukai said, " a deep female voice observed gleefully, followed by the sound of metal being dragged across the floor as the speaker stepped out of the shadows. " Wherever the she-wolf goes, you go, and wherever you are, she follows. "

She was slightly taller than Hikaru, with long white hair tied in a high ponytail at the back of her head, her otherwise pretty face marred by the sadistically psychotic grin she bore, and the scar that ran down the left side of her forehead above her eye to the upper half of her cheek. She wore a school uniform consisting of a white shirt with a red collar and red cuffs, along with a black necktie and black skirt, her attire completed by a black stocking on one leg and a white sock on the other to symbolize the dual personalities that she was reported to have. The sledgehammer that she had tried to smash his head with was grasped in her left hand, the head on the ground.

It troubled Saruhiko to see that this girl had white hair and violet eyes just like Hikaru since she was the exact opposite of his beloved she-wolf, and he shuddered inwardly.

" Where is she? " he demanded.

His opponent's grin widened. " You don't have to worry about her, " she responded. " Inukai is having fun with her… "

Saruhiko tensed as she lifted the giant sledgehammer that she had tried to smash his head with as if it was mere pencil.

" Thanks for coming! " she yelled gleefully. " I've come to kill you! "

* * *

Amira listened for the sounds of Otoya Takechi as she made her way around the labyrinth of plants, her eyes eventually adjusting to the darkness that surrounded her as she reached a corridor that she suspected led to the administrative offices. She stopped somewhere near the restrooms when she saw a figure lying on the ground, and as she made her way closer to it, she saw that he was wearing a security guard's uniform, blood pooling around his head and shoulders.

Cautiously, she squatted beside him, her anger rising when she saw that his throat had been slit in a brutal fashion that she suspected that he must have felt until the life left him. Placing her hand over his eyes, she closed them before noticing that his gun was still in its holster, his spare bullets in his belt.

" I'm sorry, " she whispered as she divested him of his fully loaded weapon, and its spare ammunition before she draped her coat over his lifeless body. " You got caught in the middle of this drama because of me… " She had to stop for a moment as she felt tears of rage choke her when she saw his wallet sticking out of his pocket, and upon examining its contents, she saw a picture of the same man standing with a woman beside him each of them holding a child between six and ten in their arms.

 _ **She might go after his family once she's done with me.**_

If her anger had been the catalyst for her tears, it was also what stopped them. Angrily wiping away the tears that threatened to fall, she lifted her chin defiantly, her eyes glowing with rage like dark turquoises in the darkness where she knelt. " I'll make sure that she doesn't get to your family, " she vowed, laying her hand atop his coat covered body. " I promise. "

 _ **How many people have to die because others are so selfish?**_ she wondered as she made her way back to the maze that she had left. _**When will it stop?**_

Ever since that fateful day when she was eleven, Amira suffered from nightmares where blood seemed to seep through the wooden floor of the summerhouse where her childhood had ended, the red substance flooding the interior until she and her mother were submerged in it, and she could no longer move. Many a night, she woke up either in a cold sweat, almost unable to breathe, or screaming like a banshee, something that had caused the night staff at the hospital where she was being treated a lot of distress and annoyance. She suspected that they were more relieved than she was when she was finally able to walk and had been discharged from the hospital because that way, they didn't have to hear her screaming in the middle of the night. After her escape from the facility at Nanakamado, she had been afraid of the mere idea of pain and suffocation, the memories of when she was constantly burned and choked by Koshi Mizuchi haunting her for several months.

She didn't blame Anna for the latter, though; she had known that it didn't matter to Mizuchi that the albino Strain was just a little girl, and that what he intended for her was not for him to decide since he was too selfish and cruel to have a conscience. Despite the terror that the pain had caused Amira, she didn't regret that she had been tortured in Anna's place; in her opinion, it was better that it had happened to her instead on the precious little girl as long as she could protect her from the incomprehensible cruelty of the Gold Clan and its mad scientist.

Amira was glad that the gun was already loaded, and she could use the extra bullets in case they weren't enough. She stopped just as she exited the corridor, her heart freezing in disbelief at the sight that had greeted her: Anna was in the labyrinth of plants that Amira had nearly been lost in earlier, her snow white hair, and frilly red dress illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the skylight.

 _ **Baby, what are you doing here?**_ she wondered wildly. _**You're going to get hurt!**_

Before she could call out a warning to the little girl, she heard the unmistakable rustling of leaves, and saw Otoya Takechi emerging from behind some cultivated tomato vines that weren't in season yet, her face lighting up with a sadistic delight that reminded Amira of Koshi Mizuchi when she saw the doll like child who had come into her line of vision. She held a pair of woodsaws in her hands, and the beltbag she wore looked quite suspicious. Quickly, silently, Amira made a beeline to the right so she could circle around, and get closer to her opponent without her hearing so that once she saw her, her attention would be removed from Anna so that she would be out of the line of fire.

" Are you lost, little girl? " Otoya Takechi's voice asked with a fake sweetness that brought the vision of black spiders crawling over their struggling prey. " I'll bring you home… "

Amira stopped at an open space a few yards from the two girls, and took aim.

 _ **Don't you touch her…**_

Her opponent's words were followed by an evil laugh, but before she could act on her intentions, Amira fired a couple of shots at the sadistic girl, and although they didn't hit home as she had intended because Otoya Takechi had moved at the last minute, the interruption got her attention, and she saw the enraged snarl on her face as she turned to face her.

* * *

The black haired killer of Otoya Mizuchi's father, Amira Arashikage, stood ramrod straight, her eyes almost luminous, her face cold with rage, a pistol in her hand.

For a moment, the sadistic teenager felt a flash of fear as she faced the girl who had killed her father without batting an eyelash , but before any of them could make another move, chaos seemed to erupt all around them.

The glass house was suddenly flooded with lights from above and outside, accompanied by the sounds of sirens and helicopter propellers, momentarily stunning the two combatants with the unexpected disturbance.

" Anna! " Amira Arashikage called out to the little girl who had caught Otoya's attention. " Get out of here! Now! "

Much to Amira's surprise and distress, Anna only moved a few feet away, and circled around the route her black haired friend had taken so that she was standing only a few feet away from her, but was at a large distance from the girl with the evil smile.

Amira sighed at the child's stubbornness. " Alright, alright, " she consented. " But stay back, do you understand? I don't want you caught up in any more of this! "

Anna merely nodded, her ruby eyes large, and Amira turned back to her opponent, only to have another interruption.

A crashing sound from above caught the attention of the trio in the greenhouse, forcing Amira to run in Anna's direction while Otoya Takechi jumped back as shattered glass rained down, followed by a tall figure clad in blue landing smoothly amidst the shining debris before rising to his feet.

 _ **Reisi Munakata.**_

* * *

The Blue King glanced to his left, and saw Amira Arashikage gaping at him in disbelief while standing protectively in front of the Red Clan's princess, Anna Kushina.

" _**What - ?! "**_ Amira choked out. _**" What are - ?! How -?!**_ " She took a deep breath. _**" What the hell are you doing here?! How did you find me?! "**_

Munakata's lips twitched at the black haired mermaid's reaction, even as the sudden explosion interrupted their conversation before members of Scepter 4 and HOMRA entered the greenhouse that was the battlefield between two Strains. " Forgive me for the intrusion, Arashikage-kun, " he apologized, his focus moving back to Otoya Mizuchi who had re-emerged from the greenery she had hidden behind, her expression one of ominous rage. " However, this is no ordinary fight that you have been caught up in; you see, your opponent is not only a wanted serial killer, but she is also the daughter of Koshi Mizuchi, which makes her mission to kill you – and your friend behind you – personal. "

" Huh. "

That bored huff came from the girls' right, and Amira somehow wasn't surprised to see Mikoto Suoh, the Red King make a fiery entrance, surrounded by his clansmen, one of them looking like he had just come from a shopping spree because he was holding several bags in his hands.

Anna looked up at Amira, her ruby eyes asking the older girl if it was alright for her to go to her King. The black haired girl smiled gently at the precious, doll like child. " You don't need my permission, baby, " she pointed out softly. " Go on; you'll be safer with him than with me. "

Anna's eyes were sad, but showed that she understood as she ran towards her surrogate family, and Amira was relieved, even amused when she saw her take the hand of her stoically bored King.

 _ **Keep her safe,**_ she pleaded silently.

" I'm not the only one she's after, Captain, " Amira said. " Hikaru Okamihime is being tailed by Isuke Inukai – "

" Fushimi-kun has gone after them, Arashikage-kun, " the Blue King assured her. " Your friend is in capable hands. "

The greenhouse had somehow turned into an arena, because before she knew it, she was surrounded by both Blue and Red Clansmen. A movement to her far right her attention, and she saw that Otoya Takechi – no, Otoya Mizuchi was charging towards the Blue King who had managed to erect his shield to ward off her attack, the blades of her saws clashing with the azure, glasslike barrier.

The other Blue Clansmen moved forward, their hands on their swords, only to be startled when Amira raised her pistol once again, and fired at her violet tinted haired opponent, one of the bullets catching her in the right shoulder, the other shattering the bone in her elbow, rendering her right arm almost useless.

Otoya Mizuchi was livid with rage at the interruption by her father's killer, and charged at Amira, her words an enraged yell:

" _**Don't get in my way, you little -! "**_

 _ **Your fight is with me!**_ Amira thought as she felt her anger flood her at the attempt on the life of the man she had accepted as her King, and the little girl she considered her own as the furious mermaid launched herself at her enemy. _**Leave him and Anna out of this!**_

With that thought in mind, Amira tackled Otoya Mizuchi to the ground, both combatants grappling with each other in attempt to gain the upper hand since they were evenly matched.

Long hair – jet black, and purple tinted black - literally seemed to be flying as both girls struggled to block the strikes of the other, determined to win the fight for their own reasons, blood splattering on the cold, marble floor.

Amira Arashikage didn't hold back any of her strikes, and with good reason: if she lost, Otoya Mizuchi will have succeeded in eliminating her, and would be able to go after Anna as well as the Blue King, along with the family of the security guard that she had killed with no one able to stop her.

Both girls were on their feet now, circling each other warily, Otoya Mizuchi's face contorted in pain from her damaged arm, and sadistic anticipation, while Amira Arashikage's face had a cold, expressionless rage hardening her lovely features. Mizuchi reached into her beltbag, and drew out two pairs of wickedly sharp scissors, licking them lovingly, the sight sending shudders of chilled revulsion through those who had seen it.

 _ **Yuck,**_ Amira thought with a shudder.

" After I'm done with you, " Mizuchi declaredgleefully. " I'm going after your baby doll, and you won't be able to stop me! "

" You'll never touch her, " Amira countered, drawing out the double bladed knife she hid in her boot, her jaw set with determination. " You'll never touch anyone again. "

They charged at the same time, Amira ducking in time to avoid one of Otoya's scissors before slashing upwards with her own weapon. She was gratified to see a long, red line open itself diagonally across the other girl's face before locking her left arm around her right arm, earning a shout in pain before she plunged her blade just under her breastbone, and drew it out, the motion followed by gushing blood. Just as Otoya Mizuchi backed away from her in shock, Amira slashed at her mercilessly, opening several bloody lines in the other girl's face before ramming her right foot into her breastbone that she felt all the way to the soles of her feet, the sound of breaking bones filling her ears.

Otoya Mizuchi collapsed onto her back, gasping like a dying fish as blood began to foam and trickle from her mouth.

Amira didn't feel any pity for the girl who had enjoyed the suffering of others as she squatted beside her. " How does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine? " she asked in a lethal tone. " You enjoyed inflicting so much pain on your previous victims, so now, it's your turn. See you in hell. "

Amira rose to her feet, and was about to turn away when she stopped, and squatted beside her again, her eyes narrowing ominously. " Oh, and by the way? " she remembered. " You said that you were going to make my baby your next victim? " Otoya answered her enemy's question with a bloody gasp. " If you want to get to her, or the Blue King, " Amira's last lines were spoken in a whisper. " Buckle up, bitch! "

She finally rose to her feet as her opponent shuddered, and went still, her eyes wide with a disbelieving rage.

Otoya Mizuchi was dead.


	11. I've Found You

Now that the battle was over, the cold, deadly aura that surrounded Amira Arashikage seemed to dissolve, leaving only a battle weary, somewhat shell shocked young girl who, despite having the skill to kill, and had done so many times, still couldn't shake the off the trauma that came with taking a life.

Munakata watched the young mermaid as she rose to her feet after whispering into Otoya Mizuchi's ear, and the latter's last breath left her in a death rattle. The black haired Strain was completely still, keeping her back to him as if she was too ashamed to face him after she had let him see her deadly side, afraid that she would only see revulsion and cold judgement in his eyes.

He saw her hand trembling, and was overcome with an almost uncontrollable desire to hold her in his arms until she calmed, however, he didn't act on that urge since he knew that it wouldn't be proper, and might frighten her away from him.

" Search the area for Otoya Mizuchi's accomplices, or any other possible targets! " Lieutenant Awashima's voice broke the deathlike silence inside the ruined greenhouse. " Second Unit, follow Fushimi-kun's tracker! Find him and Hikaru Okamihime! "

" She killed a security guard doing his rounds inside the main building. " Amira Arashikage's voice was firm with an underlying fury in it. " It was his weapon I used. "

The gravity of her words wasn't lost on those present. It had been a life and death battle between the two Strains, and if she hadn't killed Otoya Mizuchi, she could have been the one lying dead.

As the Blue Clansmen scattered to their tasks, Amira closed her eyes and clenched her fist, hating herself for still feeling guilty, and trembling after killing the sadistic murderer at her feet, anger at her enemy for threatening Anna, and depriving her last victim's children of their father almost too intense for words.

 _ **You had no choice.**_

She opened her eyes, the world coming back into focus. There was no voice that accompanied those words, they were just there.

Turning and walking away from the remains of her enemy, Amira was startled by the sound of the rapid clicking of heels on marble, the heels belonging to a pair of red mary janes worn by a precious little girl she barely knew, but loved dearly. She turned to the child, wanting to ask her if she was alright, but also unsure how to tell her that she shouldn't come near her because she might become contaminated with the blood she had on her hands.

 _ **Anna…**_

The doll like child suddenly rushed at her, locking her arms around her waist in a death grip, and burying her face in the material of her blouse as she hugged her. Amira's eyes widened in surprise, but her fears melted away at the warmth she felt being reunited with her friend, and after a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Anna, and hugged her back, feeling her defenses coming down. Holding her little girl in her arms, she touched her cheek to the snow white hair, and inhaled her clean scent.

" Hi, Baby… "

* * *

The Red Clansmen watched their little princess rush up to the black haired Strain who had just killed the daughter of the man who had deprived Anna of her family, and, from what Izumo Kusanagi had learned from the details that Seri Awashima had given him about Amira Arashikage, her own as well.

Amira Arashikage held Anna tenderly, as if she was a newborn baby, her face buried in her hair, the sight of the little albino reuniting with her friend who had protected her from Koshi Mizuchi heartbreakingly beautiful, and some of the Red Clansmen wondered if both girls meeting again could help her find her lost voice.

The Blue King, Reisi Munakata stood back, watching the happy reunion with a gentle smile, but after a few minutes, he moved towards the pair, reluctant to intrude on them.

" I am pleased that both of you are now able to see one another with the threat against both of you eliminated, " he stated softly, causing Amira to look up at him as she continued to hug Anna. " However, your earlier fears for your friend, Hikaru Okamihime were well founded; one of our clansmen who arrived at the location where she and Fushimi-kun are reported just now that there is another assassin from among your classmates on the scene. "

Amira stiffened, a list of her various assassin-classmates running through her head.

" It is your classmate with a scar on the left side of her face, " Munakata elaborated, his expression turning serious when he saw Amira's face turn pale with recognition at the description.

" More drama? " Mikoto asked in a bored drawl as he came to stand near the reunited friends, his eyes on his rival.

" I know who that girl is, " Amira confirmed almost breathlessly. " By day, she's a timid girl named Mahiru Banba, but when the sun sets, her more aggressive, borderline insane personality emerges; her name is Shinya. "

She looked down at Anna, her heart breaking because once again, she had to leave.

She had to help Hikaru.

* * *

Fushimi swore as he dodged another attack by the psychotic, sledgehammer wielding girl. He flung a handful of knives at her before ducking behind a pile of red bricks, trying to catch his breath.

The fight with the girl seemed to be taking forever, and if she was trying to keep him from reaching Hikaru, well, she was succeeding.

 _ **Dammit,**_ he thought. _**I need to get to Hikaru!**_

The vibrating phone in his pocket pulled him out of his thoughts, and when he saw the name on the Caller ID, he wondered how things could get even worse.

" Captain, " he answered irritably. " I'm kind of busy right now, and the others who arrived on the scene aren't any help! "

" Sorry about that, Fushimi-san, " a girl's voice answered his irritated tirade with a calmness that he suspected she was far from feeling. " But please listen! The girl you're fighting right now, she and her other personality have one thing in common: they're afraid of bright lights. Are you able to find a spot where can lure her to, and turn them on? "

 _ **Whoever this girl is,**_ he thought. _**She knows her moves.**_

" Find the switch for the construction lights so you can turn them on! " the girl urged. " I hate suggesting that you use something that paralyzes her with fear, but that's the only way to incapacitate her until I get there! "

" _Tsk._ " Fushimi muttered. " Anything's better than having this psycho using me for target practice with her damn sledgehammer! "

" Sorry, " the girl apologized.

" Fushimi-kun, " Captain Munakata was speaking, and Fushimi realized that the call had been on loudspeaker. " Do as Arashikage-kun instructed you to. That is your best chance of incapacitating your opponent without resorting to killing her. Arashikage-kun will take care of her once we arrive. "

 _ **We?!**_

Fushimi tsked again. " I thought she was occupied with Otoya Mizuchi! " he pointed out, feeling his irritation rise again.

" I stamped her a one way ticket to hell. "Amira Arashikage retorted.

* * *

Hikaru flinched at the sound of " Shinya " Banba's psychotically gleeful laughter following the sound of her sledgehammer hitting a concrete pillar.

 _ **Saruhiko….**_ she thought as she sprang back, the bullet from Isuke Inukai's handgun barely missing her. _**Saruhiko!**_

 _ **Be careful!**_

" Don't worry, " the pink haired assassin taunted. " Banba-san _**will take good care of your boyfriend so that he won't notice you're gone**_ – because both of you will be dead! "

That got Hikaru's temper up, and dispelled her fear. Her pursuer frowned slightly when she noticed the change in her quarry's demeanor: Hikaru's deep violet eyes began to gleam ominously as her jaw took on a determined, angry set.

" He won't die so easily, if at all! " Hikaru declared, shedding her uniform blazer. " If you and Banba-san want to kill us, you'd better give it _**your best shot**_ since your last one is just as lousy as your attention span in class! "

As Hikaru spoke, a dark glow began to surround her before she was engulfed in a flash of white light that momentarily blinded Inukai. When the light faded, she saw a wolf – larger than any that she had seen on tv – standing where Hikaru Okamihime had been. Its smooth, silver-white coat shown in the moonlight as if it had just been through a thorough grooming, violet eyes shining with an ominous anger that promised deadly consequences for what the vain assassin had just said.

 _ **Oh, shit.**_

Fushimi rounded the corner in time to see Hikaru take her wolf form as she faced Inukai, his foot lashing out in a backward kick that landed with a gratifying crunch, signaling that he had broken his opponent's nose. She let out a yell that was part surprise, part pain, and all insane glee as she dropped her weapon, and landed on her backside.

" Oh, you broke my nose! " she shrieked gleefully as she clutched the bloody mess on her face. She exhaled in exhaustion. " Time to take a break… but I'll be back! "

She never got a chance to act on her words.

To say that Fushimi was furious would have been putting it lightly. Yanking the psycho girl to her feet by the collar of her blouse, he rammed his fist into her abdomen, knocking her out.

" I don't know why Hikaru's friend doesn't want you dead when you're one of her potential killers, " he muttered before turning back to the silver haired she-wolf.

Isuke Inukai gawked in disbelief at the young man who had just kicked Mahiru/Shinya Banba, momentarily incapacitating her, the growl from the wolf in front of her bringing her attention back to her.

" You two think you can take us down so easily? " Fushimi taunted, flipping one of his knives between his fingers, his blue eyes dangerous behind his glasses. " I don't think so. "

The wolf facing Inukai turned at his approach, recognition dampening the fury in the deep amethyst pools that were its eyes, and Hikaru gave a soft growl of acknowledgement. As Fushimi closed the distance between them, Hikaru touched her forehead to his chest in a gesture of relief.

 _ **You still managed to recognize even in the enraged state that you're in while in wolf form,**_ Fushimi thought in wonder as he slipped his hand under her chin, and tipped her head up so that their foreheads were touching.

 _ **I've found you…**_

Just as Fushimi directed his attention back to their opponent, the sound of booted feet entering the premises signaled the arrival of Scepter 4.

Instinctively, Fushimi placed himself between the pink haired assassin and the she-wolf he had come to rescue, drawing his sword out once again.

" Fushimi ready for battle. "

He had just spoken those words when he saw Amira Arashikage moving towards them, silent as a shadow, a gun in her hand.

" I think I'll have some fun with you two lovebirds before I kill you, " Inukai declared, arming herself with her signature knuckle knives.

A single shot rang out in the shadows, opening up an ugly red flower in the remaining assassin's right forearm, causing her to shriek in pain and disbelief as she reached behind her back, drawing out a derringer as she turned towards the intruder.

Amira Arashikage never gave her a chance.

Grabbing Inukai's gun wrist, she directed it upward just as the derringer emptied itself, before turning on her heel and shoulder throwing the pink haired assassin. As soon as Inukai landed on her back, Amira pinned her down by placing a knee on her chest, and ramming her fist into her face, momentarily stunning her before she snatched the pistol she'd dropped earlier, and pistol whipped her on the right temple. Inukai went limp as a dead fish, although Amira didn't kill her.

A sound like wind chimes signaled that Hikaru had reverted into human form, although both Fushimi and Amira deemed it best not to look until she was fully dressed.

" You guys can turn around now. "

Both her friends turned at her words, and Hikaru froze at the look on Fushimi's face. It was none like she had ever seen before, and she didn't know if he was angry at her for not telling him the truth about being a target of the Black Class, or relieved that she was alright.

His blue eyes were opaque as he sheathed his sword, all the while never looking away from her.

" Saruhiko…. "

The young man closed the space between them in three strides, and before anyone could react, Fushimi had drawn Hikaru into his arms and embraced her as if he never wanted to let her go.

" You're alright, " he whispered, and although Hikaru couldn't see his face, she could have sworn that he sounded relieved.

" So are you… " she answered, sinking into his embrace, and wrapping her arms around him as well.

None of them noticed Amira look away discreetly before turning, and leaving to give them some privacy.

All they knew was this moment…


	12. What I See

Amira was silent as she left Saruhiko Fushimi and Hikaru Okamihime where they had stood, wanting to give them some privacy.

She had restrained Isuke Inukai with a pair of plastic handcuffs after making sure that she had no other weapons that she could use once she regained consciousness, and Scepter 4 would bring her in; since the Black Class had been established by Meichi Yuri, Koshi Mizuchi's sister who was also connected to the Gold Clan, Scepter 4 would also be involved.

The bright lights from the trucks and helicopters belonging to the Blue Clan was a sharp contrast to the shadows of the building where another battle had been fought by the two individuals who were now in each other's arms, and Amira had to blink to adjust her eyes to the difference.

Scepter 4 wasn't the only clan present in tonight's drama; thanks to Anna Kushina's involvement in the drama, HOMRA was also now on high alert, and because the somewhat speechless little girl refused to leave without seeing her friend, they'd had no choice but to also come to the construction site where another pair of teenage assassins were present.

The Blue King, Reisi Munakata, was standing at a discreet distance to give his men space to move around as they set about sealing off the area, and entering the skeletal structure of steel and concrete she had just exited. He was speaking with the Red King, Mikoto Suoh who looked bored and lethargic, and both men seemed to be trading barbs rather than conversing.

Movement to her left caught her attention, and she turned to see two of the Scepter 4 paramedics carrying a stretcher that had Mahiru / Shinya Banba on it. She was still unconscious from the punch Saruhiko Fushimi had given her, and as it drew level with Amira, she stopped their progress to check on the girl with a split personality. Despite Mahiru / Shinya Banba being one of the assassins chosen by the Gold Clan to be part of her class, Amira couldn't help but feel pity for the scarred girl, because she had learned at a young age that people don't develop split personalities for fun; they do it when they are unable to cope with the emotional and mental trauma of events that are forced on them, and Mahiru Banba was no exception.

* * *

Mahiru Banba was born to a gambler father, and an alcoholic, drug addicted mother, both who had mistreated and abused her for as long as she was with them. When she was seven years old, her parents had gone into debt, and sold her to the Gold Clan as a result. They spent the money they had received on their vices until three months later, their sins caught up with them: Mahiru's father was killed by a fellow gambler who had caught him cheating at the table, while her mother had overdosed on the heroin she had become addicted to, and died with a needle in her arm.

But their daughter had been removed from one hell to be moved to another.

The man who had paid her parents was a member of Koshi Mizuchi's team, a pedophile who also indulged in photography, and he picked Mahiru as his latest victim. His " treatments " of what he claimed were her bursts of emotional outrage were far from healing, because they were a means for him to indulge in his perverted passions. He would take Mahiru to his " office " among the lowest levels of the Nanakamado facility which he had also converted into a photo studio, locking the iron door, hence, preventing the little girl from escaping. There, in his lair, while his photo studio lights were on, he would molest and torture little Mahiru, delighting in her terror and pain as he photographed her; he was also fond of using camera flashes as he committed the despicable acts, even photographing the girl as she tried futilely to escape, and called for help.

 ** _To him, Mahiru was the most beautiful when she was terrified, and in pain._**

He continued his perverted passions with her for seven years until the day that Amira had brought the Nanakamado facility down with her weather manipulation abilities.

On that day, Mahiru had finally snapped, giving birth to her other personality, Shinya, who engaged her pedophile captor in a fight that left a scar on the left side of her face. In retaliation for all the years of abuse she had suffered – physically, mentally, emotionally, and sexually, " Shinya " had tortured her former captor by tying him to a metal chair with wires from the lights he was very fond of using before castrating him, and gagging him with his genitals, followed by a plastic covering over his head which would slowly suffocate him. She then poured water around the chair where she had bound him as he struggled to breathe, before taking one of the studio lights he was always used while tormenting her, and dropped it – facedown – into the little puddle that surrounded the metal chair he was bound to while it was still plugged, shattering the bulb. The effect was that it had electrocuted him before his clothes caught fire, thanks to the material being made of velvet that he so vainly wore; she had also doused him with rubbing alcohol that sped up the immolation process. Just as his muffled cries died down, the building shook, and the former captive knew that she was free. Taking the keys to the room where he had tortured her for seven long years from his desk, she unlocked the door, and escaped through the fire exit.

However, it wasn't easy to escape the memories.

As a result of all the years of sexual abuse and torture she had endured, Mahiru Banba and her other personality, Shinya – who emerged only when in a dark area, or when the sun set – were afraid of bright lights.

It was a fear that would follow them for a long time to come…

* * *

" Will she be alright? " Amira asked as she touched the other girl's hand before pulling up the sheet that had slipped so that she was decently covered.

" We'll know once we get to the hospital, " the man in front answered, somewhat unnerved by the young girl's appearance. He had been one of those who had witnessed the fight between her and Otoya Mizuchi, and he still had a rough time wrapping his head around the fact that Amira Arashikage was a seasoned killer in addition to being a powerful Strain.

Amira nodded, glancing at the unconscious girl before allowing them to load her into the ambulance before the doors closed behind them.

Maybe now, Mahiru and Shinya would finally be free.

* * *

Ryuho Kamo draped a blanket over Amira Arashikage's frail shoulders, obviously startling the girl who had seemed to space out after watching Mahiru Banba being loaded into the ambulance that would take her to the hospital.

" Uh… Thank you, " she said softly, pulling the blanket around her as the wind picked up, bringing a chill with it. She looked up at him, noting that he was almost as tall as Munakata, his long hair partially tied in a bun, and allowed him to guide her to one of the vehicles where she sat on the stairs, heaving a tired sigh.

Kamo had read the file on the young Strain, and her history, and had been affected like the father that he was. Witnessing her mother's death in a bloody fight, and then waking up to find that her father had left her alone, before he eventually died in her arms was a burden that he doubted that even an adult could endure; the fact that she had experienced all that pain at such a young age while keeping her head up, and defiantly meeting the challenges that came her way revealed exactly how strong she was because she refused to give up, but at the same time, Kamo couldn't help but feel a tug at his heart for the girl who had lost her childhood in such a brutal way.

As he stood back to allow Anna Kushina to approach Amira Arashikage, he watched with an aching heart as the two Strains embraced each other, before the older girl lifted HOMRA's little princess onto her lap, enfolding her in her blanket. The black haired girl's expression was no longer cold and aloof, but warm, and loving as she allowed the little albino to wrap her arms around her neck, and hug her even tighter.

 ** _They really love each other._**

* * *

" Are you alright, sweetie? " Amira asked as she brushed back a strand of hair from Anna's face, and kissed her softly on the forehead.

The little girl merely nodded, but never spoke.

" Quite an eventful evening you've had, Arashikage-kun. "

Amira looked up at the sound of the Blue King's voice as the man who had given her the blanket saluted, and moved to one side to allow his Captain to speak with her. She was about to rise at his approach, but he motioned for her to remain seated as he came to stand in front of her. Anna had settled quite comfortably on her lap, and held onto her arms as she wrapped them more securely around the little girl. " Not exactly how I wanted a Friday night to end, Captain, " she answered ironically. " But at least those three are out of the equation. "

The Blue King's expression was grim. " Kamo-kun, " he addressed the man who had given her the blanket. " When Fushimi-kun and Hikaru Okamihime emerge, tell them that I wish to speak to them in private. "

* * *

 ** _This time,_** Munakata thought as his eyes held those of the little mermaid he had almost lost tonight. **_I will be the one to protect you; I was not able to protect you from Otoya Mizuchi, but this time, I will fulfill my promise._**

 ** _I will not let them take you away from me._**

* * *

 _It had been a tense confrontation between himself and the disgraced Gold King this morning when the latter had surprised everyone on the base by personally coming to Scepter 4, and demanding that Amira Arashikage be arrested for the Nanakamado Incident._

" **_The girl is a dangerous Strain who must be kept under lock and key! "_** _Daikaku Kokujoji argued after being received in the Blue King's office. **" I want her arrested, and handed over to us so that she will not cause any more damage! "**_

 _Munakata answered his visitor's demand with a cold smile, showing that he was unaffected by his presence. **" If fighting for your right to live is a crime, and Amira Arashikage is a heartless murderer, "** he countered. **" What do you have to say about the crimes perpetrated by your clansmen that had gone unpunished for years? Is it even true that you were unaware of their actions – those of Koshi Mizuchi, and his men in particular? "**_

 _The old man had tried to gain the upper hand in the argument through intimidation, and releasing his power, only to be countered by the younger man's aura._

 _If the Second King thought that the Fourth King was a weakling who would submit to his will because he was the owner of the Dresden Slates, he was sorely mistaken._

" **_Amira Arashikage is a victim of your clan, "_** _the Blue King's eyes were almost grey were with anger as he faced the Gold King. **" And she has every right to refuse your demands – whether to allow herself to be arrested, or to join your clan; she is a woman of her own mind, and under the protection of Scepter 4. "**_

 _With those words, Munakata rose from behind his desk. **" She is one of my clansmen, and I will not hand her over to you – or anyone else. "**_

* * *

She felt herself becoming lost in those beautiful violet eyes, and wanted to kill herself right then.

 ** _What right do I have to be this close to him and Anna after what they've seen me do?_** she wondered. ** _What right do I have to even see them…?_**

She was startled out of her thoughts by Anna moving out from her embrace and ran to the Red King who had stopped at some distance from them. Munakata turned slightly, aware of his rival's presence, his grim expression never changing. " Follow me, " he ordered as he moved past her and into the truck where she was sitting.

She could feel the tension in the air. " Understood, Captain, " she answered softly.

 ** _That was all she could say._**

She could have kicked herself for not realizing that she had been led to this particular truck because it belonged to him, and as she followed him, she glanced at her little girl who watched her as she held onto her King's hand.

 ** _Oh, Anna,_** she thought. **_Why don't you say anything?_**

* * *

He closed the door behind her, and moved towards his seat, wanting to see her alone. She had been somewhat off when he'd approached her, the detached, yet uncertain look in her eyes troubling him.

She stood quietly in her blanket, her eyes taking in the details of the interior of the vehicle before she turned to him. " It's bigger than it looks from outside, " she commented.

He had to smile at her observation. " You may be seated, Arashikage-kun, " he pointed out as he sat down. " We have much to discuss. "

" This means that you'll be returning to Scepter 4 Headquarters probably by the wee hours of the morning, " Amira sighed. " I seem to be causing you a lot of trouble; I'm sorry for that. "

She looked so exhausted and forlorn that he found himself reluctant to break the grim news to her, but he knew that he had to. " The important thing is that you, Anna Kushina, Hikaru Okamihime, and Fushimi-kun are alright; we have also managed to apprehend two of the three assassins trying to murder you in the process, while the tird one has been adequately dealt with, so I would say that this evening's drama was quite productive; if you had not killed Otoya Mizuchi when you did, she might have eventually found a way to escape, and come back for you. "

His indirect mention of the time made her glance at the digital clock on his desk, and she was surprised to see that it was almost 10pm. **_Damn,_** she thought. **_I didn't notice the time._**

" Meichi Yuri will be arrested, and the Black Class dissolved, " the Blue King revealed. " His Excellency also wishes for you to be arrested since he has labeled you a murderer for the Nanakamado incident, however, I had already anticipated his intentions. "

Amira scoffed. " _His Excellency_ has got a lot of nerve calling me that when his own men were committing atrocities right under his nose; whether or not he was aware of their actions, that doesn't excuse the Gold Clan of their own crimes. "

 ** _Good Lord,_** he thought, smiling helplessly. **_You are quite stubborn…_**

" Why do I get the feeling that that's only the beginning? " she asked solemnly, her eyes sad. " You wouldn't have asked to speak with me – or Hikaru and Fushimi-san in private if it wasn't serious. "

" It is more serious than it appears, " Munakata admitted. " Do you remember the night I made you that offer to join my clan? "

" Are you withdrawing it? " Amira asked, trying not to panic. " I wouldn't be surprised if you did, considering the situation, and who you'll be up against if you don't. "

The Blue King's eyes changed from a tranquil to steely violet in less time than it took her to blink, and she wondered if he was going to strike her. " Never have I withdrawn my offer to those I wish to join my clan, " he answered in a low, yet hard tone as he rose to his feet. " And I am not about to start that practice now – especially not now. We will arrest Meichi Yuri within the hour, however, your classmates are another matter. "

" Not all of them are heartless killers, " Amira pointed out. " What will happen to them? "

" Isuke Inukai will be arrested, of course, " Munakata answered, folding his arms as he sat on the edge of his desk. " Mahiru Banba, however… "

" I did my own research into her history, " Amira said. " She was abused since childhood, and needs help. "

 ** _She was still concerned for one of her classmates despite the danger that she had been in,_** he noticed. **_She may be skilled in taking a life, however, it weighs on her._**

" Your other classmates will be scattered, " Munakata told her gently. " Those who wish to continue their schooling will be transferred to different sections of the school, provided that they do not cause any more bloodshed, and they will be under observation. I have also made arrangements for you and Okamihime-kun to be given your graduation diplomas early – they are already in my office – so that you may start at Scepter 4 on Monday. "

She stared at him, stunned. " What is it you're not telling me? " she asked softly.

Munakata stood, and offered her his hand. For a moment, she stared at that hand, not sure if she should take it or not.

 ** _She wanted to take his hand, and yet, she knew that she had no right to do so…_**

" If you think that you have no right to touch anyone due to the blood you have shed, " he told her gently. " Let me tell you something: there is a different between a murderer and a fighter. Murderers kill with no remorse, enjoying the death they spread, the despair that comes with it, the pain of the victims and the ones who are left behind. A fighter refuses to bow down, and will fight to the end… while keeping their humanity about them. "

She watched him, afraid to speak lest she break down in tears and make a fool of herself.

" You are the latter, " he said softly as he bent down and took both her hands in his before pulling her to her feet, and wrapping his arms around her. " And yet you are more: what I see is a young woman who is wired to protect others, who cares for the innocent, who values the lives of those around her. "

Munakata could feel her heart racing, her warmth as he held her in his arms…

He lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair from her face, looking deeply into her eyes. **_" And yet… I find myself being selfish because I do not want you to go to anyone else… Because I want to keep you to myself…."_**


	13. I'll Never Leave You

He held her hand as he led her out of the place where he'd almost lost her after issuing orders to the Blue Clansmen who had arrived on the scene, ignoring the stares that they were both getting.

While they were walking together, he only let go of her hand long enough to take off his uniform coat, and drape it over her shoulders, as if to shield her from view while marking her as his, and keep her warm.

As they stepped out of shadows of the building, and into the blinding lights of Scepter 4's vehicles, Fushimi saw the Blue King and Amira Arashikage enter the vehicle that belonged to the former, noting how serious both of them seemed.

" Let's get you warm. "

Hikaru looked up at him just as he turned to her while he spoke, and everything seemed to fade away; sound seemed to recede, everyone vanished.

 ** _There was only the two of them._**

" Fushimi-san? "

Clinking his tongue, the young man turned to Ryuuho Kamo as the said clansman neared them. " The Captain said that he wished to speak with you, Hikaru Okamihime, and Amira Arashikage as soon as you were available, " Kamo reported, noticing, but not commenting about how tightly Fushimi and Hikaru were holding hands. They had been standing like that, gazing at each other for almost fifteen minutes, apparently oblivious to their surroundings.

" I'll be there. "

Without waiting for Kamo's response, Fushimi turned towards his King's truck, never letting go of Hikaru's hand.

 ** _He felt like he would lose her if he let go…_**

 ** _And he didn't want to lose her…_**

Hikaru was silent as she and Saruhiko exited Munakata's truck after the briefing that they had been given.

Ever since the day he had rescued her from the Nanakamado facility, she had sensed the change in him, felt it in the way he interacted with her: when he held her hand, he held it as if she would disappear if he let go; whenever he put his arms around her, he held her as if he didn't want to let her go.

 ** _I'll never leave you again…_**

She remembered his words again as he led her to the truck where he kept a spare shirt so she could change.

Amira and the Blue King greeted them upon their entrance, the former's eyes widening only slightly when she saw their joined hands, before she turned to Munakata, who was making his way back to his seat. Hikaru had noticed the way that Amira's eyes seemed follow the Blue King, and the way they had looked at each other before he took on his businesslike demeanor. He informed them that both girls would be joining Scepter 4 by Monday, their diplomas already in his office; he also informed them about what would happen to the remaining members of the Black Class. Amira had obviously been told in advance since she didn't seem to be surprised by the news; in fact, she seemed somewhat relieved. She'd noticed how Saruhiko wasn't happy at the news, and couldn't blame him for feeling the way that he did. He had always seemed to so protective and possessive of her since they were children, however, given how he had lost Misaki Yata in the latter's adoration of Mikoto Suoh, he was most likely afraid that the same thing might happen with her once she and Amira donned the uniform of the Blue Clan.

When they entered the truck that Saruhiko used, the young man closed the doors – notably in the faces of the other clansmen who were gawking at them -, to give them some privacy.

He didn't look at her as he went to the side cabinet, and pulled out his spare shirt. " Here, " he held it out to her, while keeping his eyes turned away. " I'll go out for a bit so you can change – "

Fushimi was startled out of his thoughts as Hikaru ignored the shirt, and rushed at him, dropping his coat before wrapping her arms around him, and burying her face in the collar of his shirt. He could feel her warm breath against his skin, caught the scent of pine and lavender that always accompanied her presence.

 ** _" I'll never leave you, "_** she whispered. **_" I'll never leave without you… "_**

Her words melted the icy fear that had gripped him from the moment that he'd heard the Blue King's decision, and as both of the sank to the floor, simply holding onto each other, he tightened his grip on the girl who was the world to him, and allowed himself to hope…

 ** _He couldn't have asked for more…_**

" They seem really sweet with one another, " Amira commented once her silver haired friend, and the Blue King's third in command had walked away.

 ** _The Blue King's smile was as mysterious as his violet eyes…_**

They emerged several minutes later, Hikaru in one of Fushimi's borrowed shirts over her uniform skirt, the sleeves rolled up in similar fashion to his.

" You'll ride with me, " he announced, as he watched Himori Akiyama approach, before saluting.

He kept his arm around her waist the entire time.

None of them spoke as they rode back to Scepter 4's Headquarters, all of them content in the silence of the night.

Fushimi was driving, Hikaru in the front passenger seat, both of them bound in silence by the strength of their promise; Amira was quietly sitting in the back seat next to the Blue King, occasionally glancing behind her to make sure that she didn't lose sight of the car that carried Anna in it until it was time for both vehicles to part paths.

Anna was riding with Izumo Kusanagi, Mikoto Suoh, and Tatara Totsuka in the car that belonged to HOMRA's second in command, her ruby eyes glimmering with the happiness that everyone had worried that she would never feel again after she lost her aunt. They knew that it was due to being reunited with her black haired friend, even if it was pretty obvious what clan Amira Arashikage would be joining; even if their clans were at odds with one another, it was obvious that Amira Arashikage and Anna were close, the former taking on the role of mother, sister, friend and protector to the little princess…

They would catch up once they had the chance, but now wasn't the right time for them to see each other…


	14. By Your Side

_**She wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms and remain there forever…**_

 _ **But she didn't, because she knew that she had no right to do so…**_

 _ **The warmth she had felt in his embrace, the feeling that she was safe, and that everything would be alright, she had no right to feel any of that.**_

 _ **Because if she let herself believe that, everything would come crashing down…**_

 _ **She didn't want him to be contaminated by her filth, her sins…**_

 _ **She wanted to protect him…**_

* * *

Those were the thoughts running through her head as she stood under the hot spray of her shower. She was going to spend the night at Scepter 4 headquarters so that when the morning came, she would go through with the necessary interrogation that had to be postponed due to the late hour, and other matters involving the Gold Clan that the Blue King had to attend to.

Amira wasn't surprised that Hikaru Okamihime would be spending the night in Saruhiko Fushimi's bedroom; she and Munakata had picked up on the possessive boyfriend – unspoken romantic tension vibe between them when they had entered the truck, and it didn't show any sign of fading anytime soon.

 _ **What would it be like to have that kind of love? s**_ he wondered, lifting her face to the spray. _**What would it be like to have the man I love hold me in his arms like that?**_

The image of the Blue King's handsome face appeared in her mind, and for a moment, Amira dared to let herself remember what it had felt like to be held in his arms, and wonder what would have happened if they were alone…

She shook her head. No way was the Blue King going to look at her like that after the way she'd killed Otoya Mizuchi in front of him…

Earlier, she had considered using her weather manipulation abilities to stop the three assassins, but she had decided against it, because she knew that she might not be able to control it, and she might end up hurting others...

 _ **The ability to control the weather is more like a battle to maintain your sanity, and keep your body in one piece,**_ her mother's voice echoed in her mind, bringing back the memory of when her mother was explaining the limitations, and dangers of their abilities when she was eight years old. _**It's really painful, and hard to control. That's why I prefer using my water based abilities because even if you end up getting worn out after using them, at least they're easy to control; the weather manipulation ability is very dangerous since you don't know how hard you have to fight to hold onto yourself. Even if I can control it, it still brings unspeakable agony, which is why I don't want you to use it as much as possible…**_

Amira had only used her weather abilities once, and that had been at Nanakamado, after she had gotten Anna out, and her father had died in her arms. She had wanted to destroy them all, destroy those who had taken everything from her, destroy everything, but remembering her parents - her mother, and how she had put her heart and soul into loving and teaching her everything she knew about her powers, as well as her father who had allowed himself to become the monster he hated so he could protect her, had helped her rein in her emotions and abilities.

Yes, she had killed those who deserved it, but still…

Killing was killing, and until the day she died, the blood of the dead would stain her hands, and soul…

It really hadn't been over after the drama at the Strain Centre, because on more than one occasion after that, Amira had encountered the remnants of the Gold Clan who had tried to finish what Koshi Mizuchi and his henchmen had started, and she had been forced to kill them in self defense, or be killed.

 _ **It had been a fight of kill or be killed.**_

Amira had killed the Gold Clansmen who had come after her not only in self defense and retaliation for what they had done to her family, but also so she could protect Anna. She didn't want that sweet, precious little child to become their victim a third time, so she took up her father's mantle of bloodshed, tempered only by those moments when she was in her mermaid form as she tried to keep sanity, and her humanity intact…

* * *

Between the interrogation and the disgusting concoction resembling goat dung on the plate the scantily clad second in command placed in front of her, Amira would rather choose the former; at least it didn't make her feel like vomiting every meal she'd had in the past month.

" What's _**that**_ ?! " she demanded, glaring up at Lieutenant Awashima who had taken the seat on the opposite side of the table in the interrogation room. " It looks like something that would scare a vulture away! "

On the other side of the one way mirror, the Blue King chuckled at the black haired mermaid's blunt, sarcastic comment, while Tatsuya Enomoto and Takeru Kusuhara tried not to grin.

Scepter 4's second in command looked offended at the poker faced teenager's words, but she also seemed unnerved. She would never admit it, but the fact that the girl in front of her was a trained killer who wouldn't hesitate to face the Gold Clan, and had brought down the facility in Nanakamado down with a vengance really made her uncomfortable.

" You should try it before you judge! " she defended. " It's delicious! "

Amira Arashikage only raised her eyebrow. " I doubt it. " she muttered, her cold expression never changing. " The traditional Japanese sweet on the plate would have been delicious if you didn't poison it with all that red bean paste! "

On the Captain's side of the mirror, Munakata merely smiled, while the clansmen who were with him were helpless with laughter. Amira Arashikage showed no remorse for telling the busty lieutenant off, and despite the serious atmosphere inside the room, everyone on the opposite side was having a riot.

" Kamo-san, " Munakata turned to Ryuho Kamo who was also trying to hide his own laughter. " It would be best if you are the one who speaks with Arashikage-kun. " Munakata chuckled again. " Things are becoming quite amusing. "

Kamo saluted. " Yes, Sir. "

As the said clansman entered the interrogation room, and replaced Lieutenant Awashima - who seemed to be in a hurry to leave - Munakata noticed how the black haired Strain seemed to relax - _**just a tiny bit,**_ and she seemed to recognize him from last night _ **.**_ She glanced at the mirror on her right, as if she was aware that the Blue King was there, and a faint hint of a smile showed itself around her deep sea, crystal green eyes. Amira answered Kamo-san's questions politely, something she probably wouldn't have done with Awashima.

Earlier this morning, Munakata had noticed his second in command's disapproval when he announced his intention of having the two Strains join Scepter 4, however, she had bowed out of arguing with him when he made it clear that he wasn't about to change his mind. He suspected that her disapproval had been not only due to their statuses as Strains, or their ages, but also due to one of them being from the bloodlines of the two most ruthless, dangerous families in the country; her disapproval had obviously intensified after Amira Arashikage had told her off regarding her choice of dishes.

 _ **My, my,**_ he thought as he continued to observe the stubborn headed mermaid. _**You are going to be quite a handful.**_

He knew that he hadn't been wrong in choosing her to join Scepter 4.

* * *

" Okamihime-san! " Akira Hidaka called, his eyes on the silver haired she-wolf as she came out of the lady's washroom. Akiyama and Benzai were with him, and they visibly tensed, not only because the loose tongued clansman was smitten with the wrong girl, but because the young man who obviously considered her his had just appeared from around the corner, and was glaring daggers at his back.

" Oi, Hidaka! " Akiyama warned, his eyes on Saruhiko Fushimi, who had a very ominous expression on his pale face.

Hidaka obviously hadn't heard a word. " Do you have a boyfriend? " he gushed. " I've totally fallen for you! "

Hikaru Okamihime gave him an annoyed look before her deep violet eyes moved to the figure behind him. " As a matter of fact.. " she answered darkly, not knowing if Saruhiko would approve of her answer.

Hidaka realized his mistake too late, because Hikaru Okamihime moved to one side just as he felt a very dark and dangerous aura behind him. Glancing behind him, he felt all the blood drain from his face as he found himself looking straight at an ominous, _**livid**_ Saruhiko Fushimi. The bespectacled young man's dual aura was burning around him like a bonfire of blue and red, and the light reflecting off his glasses obscured his sapphire eyes from view, although Hidaka could feel his glare behind them.

Akiyama and Benzai swallowed, moving back.

 _ **Bad move, Hidaka.**_

Hidaka leapt back with a dismayed yelp, barely managing to avoid the barrage of knives that Fushimi flung at him, and found his back against the wall.

" _**And just whose girlfriend do you think you're making a move on, you idiot?! "**_ Fushimi demanded, moving to place himself between Hikaru and the clansman who had tried to make a move on her. Without waiting for the brown haired clansman's reply, Fushimi took Hikaru Okamihime's hand in his, and strode away before moving his arm around her waist.

It was only when they had disappeared around the corner that Hidaka remembered to breathe, although his legs seemed to have stopped functioning.

* * *

Amira exited the interrogation room, and wasn't surprised to find the Blue King waiting for her. She had sensed his presence earlier before she had been questioned by Ryuho Kamo, and now, as they fell into step beside each other, she wondered how much he had seen and heard.

But most of all, she wondered what he thought of her.

" What's going to happen now? " Amira asked, trying not to let her apprehension show. Dspite Munakata's assurances last night, she couldn't help but feel nervous.

He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling. " The conversation will be transcribed, and filed into the report, " he answered, before chuckling. " Although I am quite sure your exchange of words with Awashima-kun will have everyone in stitches. "

Amira sighed, feeling tired once again. " So you saw that, " she said. " I didn't say those things as a joke. Her choice of food really was disgusting! "

" I quite agree, " he admitted, unable to keep the amusement from his voice. " She must think that you will be an abomination to Scepter 4. "

She looked up at him, suddenly feeling sad. " And you? " she asked. " What do _**you**_ think of me? "

She had spoken those last words without thinking, and now, as she realized her mistake, she felt her face turn bright pink.

 _ **Oh my God! s**_ he thought, mortified. _**What did I just say?!**_

Munakata's smile was gentle. " I think of you as a mystery that I would like to unravel, " he admitted. " A puzzle I would like to solve. "

She felt her mouth go dry. " What will you do after you've done both? " she asked softly.

" I will keep you by my side… "

* * *

Amira didn't know how the Red Clan would react upon seeing her there at their base of operations, considering that they knew that she was a member of their enemy clan.

 _ **Despite her apprehension, she wanted to see Anna.**_

She had been deeply troubled by Anna's silence when she'd seen her last night. When they'd first met, she had noticed how the little albino had been a quiet girl, but at least she had spoken; last night, she'd never uttered a word.

 _ **Why?**_

Amira couldn't help but think that it was her fault; maybe she had scared Anna when she'd killed Otoya Mizuchi, and the child had only gone near her because she couldn't verbally refuse to be anywhere near her.

Either way, she needed to know. If she had indeed become a monster in the little girl's eyes, then she would keep her distance from her; if Anna still considered her a friend, then she would support her in any way she could.

It was with some trepidation that she entered the HOMRA bar almost thirty minutes later, a paper bag full of fruits - especially strawberries - in her arms for Anna. She was greeted by Izumo Kusanagi, HOMRA's second in command, and judging by the way he had straightened upon seeing her, he recognized her.

" Welcome, Arashikage-chan! " he greeted, setting his ballpen down. He had been making an inventory of the drinks that needed re-stocking, and wasn't surprised to see Anna's black haired, mermaid friend come to visit her. It was pretty obvious that she and the Red Clan's little princess had wanted to spend more time together last night after being reunited, but thanks to the drama around them, it had been postponed.

The petite girl bowed slightly in greeting. " Good afternoon, Izumo Kusanagi, everyone, " she returned. " Is Anna there? I brought some fruits. I don't know if she'll want ice cream instead, though.. . "

" She'll be fine with whatever you bring! " a sandy haired young man holding a camcorder declared warmly as he rose from his place on the couch by the window, and came to relieve her of her bundle. " Anna was pretty excited to see you last night, even if you guys didn't have that much time together. "

Her eyes moved to the young man, and she nodded in thanks as he took the bag from her. " Is she here? " she asked again, noticing the stares that she was receiving.

" She's taking a shower upstairs, " Izumo answered, gesturing to the barstools. " Have a seat. "

She made her way to the bar, aware of the stares that she was receiving. " Thank you, " she said, perching on one of the stools.

" What would you like to drink? " Kusanagi asked her. " It's on the house, provided it's non-alcoholic. "

Her eyes scanned the written menu behind him. " I'll have a peach flavored iced tea, " she answered. " Less ice, please. "

" Coming right up. "

She was quiet as he assembled her order, and placed the tall glass in front of her. Nodding her thanks, she took a sip through the straw, and found the flavor to her liking. " Perfect. "

Once again, she lapsed into silence, content to listen to the sound of the traffic outside, and the shower running upstairs, her eyes staring inward as she pondered the events of last night.

" Why won't she say anything? " Amira spoke so suddenly, it startled everyone. " She didn't utter a single word last night. Was it me? Did I scare her? "

Kusanagi shook his head. " It wasn't you, Arashikage-chan, " he assured her. " Anna's been like that for some time after the Nanakamado Incident... "

Alarm bells went off in Amira's head. " Did they come back for her after that? " she demanded, her aura taking on an ominous turn as a thousand scenarios of the Gold Clan coming after Anna when she wasn't there to protect her started to run through her mind. _**" What did they do to her?! "**_

The look on her face suddenly brought to mind the legends of how a vengeful mermaid could drag men to their death, and all of them hoped that they never had to be on the receiving end of her anger.

" It's not like that, Arashikage-chan, " Kusanagi explained. " They didn't try to come after her again - thanks to you. "

There was a sound like a partially strangled chicken behind her, but Amira didn't bother turning around. " You're well informed. "

There was a darkness to Kusanagi's smile. " I'd heard rumors from my contacts about one of the Strains from Nanakamado wiping out Mizuchi's cronies when they made the mistake of going after her, " he revealed. " It was said that the Strain who wiped them out was one hell of a badass despite her young age, and by killing them, she managed to keep them away from Anna - whom they'd intended to go after as well. "

" I'm not proud of being a killer, Kusanagi-san, " Amira sighed, suddenly feeling tired. " But I won't hesitate to take down those bastards if they don't know how to take a hint. "

" As expected from the daughter of the Arashikage and Hiruko clans, " Kusanagi mused, feeling impressed, although a bit chilled as he gazed at Anna's black haired friend. The look in her eyes was really unnerving, because he knew that she would do what she didn't say she would if ever she was crossed.

" Anna only stopped talking because Honami-sensei forgot her, and that she was her niece, " the sandy haired young man from revealed. " When we managed to rescue her after you got Anna out, she was badly traumatized, and pretty hysterical. One of the Usagi who was helping arrest Mizuchi's henchmen did a memory swipe so she could forget what had happened to her, but in the process, he also made her forget about Anna, and that she was her niece. Anna was fine thanks to you, but when she realized that Honami forgot her, and was better off not remembering her because she might regard her as a monster, and start blaming her for what happened, she stopped talking right then and there. "

If a breaking heart could make a sound at that very moment, it would probably sound like shattering glass, because that was the very same feeling Amira had in her chest at the revelation of the reason for Anna's speechlessness, the pain so intense, it was almost physical.

She had protected and rescued Anna, but she hadn't been able to protect her from all the pain that she should never have experienced. Amira didn't know which was worse: losing your entire family the way she had, or lose almost everyone, and be forgotten by the only one remaining.

 _ **Oh Anna...**_ she thought, grief clogging her throat. _**I'm so sorry... I wasn't able to protect you after all...**_

" We're hoping you can help her, " Kusanagi said, seeing the grief on her face. " You protected and saved her even if you knew nothing about her, and we know you care about her even if you _are_ from another clan. "

" Even if you didn't ask me, " Amira's voice was barely more than a whisper. " I'd do my best to help her. But just to let you know, children suffering from selective mutism can't be forced to speak any more than a flower can be forced to bloom. The heart is like that flower; force it to bloom, and it will become deformed, twisted, its beauty ruined. I'll be there for her if and when she needs me, but I can't work miracles. Give her time, that's one of the things she needs since I can only do so much. "

A tiny hand on her arm interrupted her words, and she turned to see Anna, fresh from her shower, dressed in another frilly red dress, standing beside her chair, her enormous ruby eyes so full of mystery on her.

 ** _" Oh, baby... "_**

Amira got off her stool, closing the distance between herself and the precious, doll like girl who was like a daughter to her. As her arms went around Anna, she felt like her heart would burst. No longer able to hide her tears, she buried her face in Anna's white hair, as the little girl hugged her back.


	15. Deja Vu

Munakata wondered if he was suffering from a bad case of déjà vu when he looked up and saw the person who was admitted to his office. As the Blue King leaned back in his chair, setting down the reports regarding the events of the previous night, the temperature dropped significantly.

Miyuki Hizamaru had gained some amount of weight since the last time he had seen her two years ago, her light brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail, her grey eyes the same as before.

" Hello, Reisi, " she greeted casually, as if nothing had happened two years ago, as if she hadn't betrayed him with the one he thought was his closest friend without a shred of remorse.

" Miyuki Hizamaru, " he greeted coldly, rising to his feet like the gentleman he was, although it was more than what she deserved. " You seem to have come to the wrong location. "

Once, he had thought that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, however, now as he regarded her in a stoic, detached manner, he found that she seemed bloated, her fondness for make up grating on his nerves.

Amira Arashikage's natural beauty that reminded him of the ocean under a full moon with all its hidden mysteries and dangers flashed in his mind, and he smiled inwardly.

 _ **I will not compare my little mermaid with Morgana in disguise,**_ he thought scornfully. True, Amira Arashikage was dangerous when made an enemy, and she never denied that she had killed others, but Munakata had been able to see that the black haired Strain was pure of heart, and honest as she could be; she never tried to use her looks, or her position as one of the few surviving members of the Arashikage and Hiruko Clans to get her way.

The woman in front of him smiled and shook her head. " Still as formal as always, " she said, stopping in front of his desk.

Munakata left his place behind his desk, and made his way to the Japanese styled section of his office, his stoic expression never changing. " Why are you here? " he asked, his tone clearly indicating that he didn't care for her company.

Hizamaru started at his somewhat harsh tone, but tried to maintain her composure. " I'd like to talk abut what happened two years ago, actually, " she admitted.

Munakata felt his face harden as memories of that fateful day flashed in his mind.

" Mitsuo and I did you a great wrong, " the Hizamaru woman confessed, sounding apologetic, and the act might have worked if the Blue King didn't see the spark of deceit in her eyes.

 _ **She has an ulterior motive for being here,**_ Munakata thought, his brow furrowing as he took in the Gold Clan aura that she was trying to hide from him. _**So,**_ he thought. _**That is your reason.**_

Word obviously spread through the Usagi regarding last night's events, and they had dispatched one of their agents who had a significant connection to the Blue King's past in order to gather information that they could use to their advantage.

" You are a very good actress, I have to say, " Munakata turned to face his former lover, his eyes cold as ice. " How long did you think you could hide your clan aura from me with your act of contrition? "

 _ **How long has she been with the Usagi?**_ he wondered. _**Had she been present at the time of the Nanakamado Incident?**_

Realizing that the jig was up, Miyuki Hizamaru dropped her mask, revealing the malice she had brought with her, her smile turning cold, her face cruel, like a snake shedding its skin. " You have a mermaid like Strain under your authority, " she said, a note of arrogant pride in her voice. " His Excellency wants her arrested, and brought to him immediately. I trust you won't defy an order from the owner of the Dresden Slates? "

Munakata turned to face her fully, feeling revolted that the snake woman in front of him was the woman he once wished to marry.

She tilted her head back, certain she'd won. " We will expect her at Nanakamado – "

" No. "

It was most satisfying to see her smug expression dissolve into dismay and fury at his flat refusal, turning her into a harpee that had its claws filed. " This is a direct order from His Excellency! " she demanded, her eyes flashing. " Who are you to defy him?! "

" I am the Fourth of the Seven Kings, " Munakata answered simply. " And neither I, nor my clan will bow down to his abuse of authority simply due to him being the owner of the Dresden Slates, any more than I have any affection for you considering your actions from two years past, and the Clan you are now part of. "

She was livid, he could see, but that had no effect on him. Furious that he had called her out on her betrayal of him two years ago, and brushing off the authority of the Gold Clan in one breath, she raised her hand to slap him only to have him catch her wrist in one hand, and fling it aside. " An attack on a King in his territory is a declaration of war, " he informed her coldly. " You might want to think twice before you raise a hand for having your crimes brought to light. "

She pulled back, trying to save face. " It is you who have declared war, " she claimed coldly.

" On the contrary, " Munakata pointed out. " When His Excellency arrived last night, making the same demands as yourself, I reminded him that the Strain he wished to have turned over to him is already my Clansman, and under my authority. Let me repeat to you what I had told him, and you may relay the message: she is my Clansman, and under the protection of Scepter 4. I will not hand her over to you, or anyone else. If His Excellency fails to understand the answer provided him due to his selective lack of comprehension, it would be best that he goes back to grade school. "

Miyuki Hizamaru was speechless with shock. She had noticed prior to her falling out with the Blue King that he had a very distinct way of speaking that scathed and burned you when angered, and although he had spoken in the same even tones, it was obvious that he was angry.

Before she could make another protest, a soft knock sounded at the door, catching the attention of both combatants.

Munakata never took his eyes off Miyuki Hizamaru. " Enter, " he acknowledged.

The door cracked open, and the Captain of Scepter 4 felt his heart drop to the bottom of his feet as Amira Arashikage poked her head in, her long black hair loose. " Captain? "

 _ **No,**_ he thought as her deep sea, crystal green eyes took in the scene before her, and the hostile atmosphere with it. _**Stay away…**_

 _ **Please…**_

" Arashikage-kun, " he greeted, his tone softening.

He could see that she realized that something was amiss, but instead of deterring her, it only made her more concerned, especially since one of the combatants in the office was her commanding officer. She stepped in and closed the door. " Is everything alright, Sir? " she asked, her eyes moving to the woman in front of him. Even this far, he could see the tension that rose up as the two females locked stares, their dislike for one another instant and mutual.

Hizamaru looked away first, unnerved at the look in the black haired mermaid's eyes, and the way she stared at her. Despite hearing about the young girl's battle capable background, she hadn't believed a word of it until now.

The girl was beautiful, she saw. More beautiful than she was rumored to be, despite the ominous aura she emitted. She suddenly wanted to fly at her, and scratch her eyes out, but didn't dare; if the rumors about how easily this girl could kill were true, Miyuki Hizamaru would be dead before she even managed to touch a hair strand on the girl's head.

" Think over what you said, " she told the Blue King, her contempt obvious. " It's not wise to defy His Excellency. "

Munakata scoffed. " I already have. "

She stalked out of the office, giving the black haired Strain a wide berth. Amira Arashikage's eyes followed her, and as she left the Blue Clan's base of operations, she felt a frisson of fear run through her as she remembered the girl.

* * *

When her stare had locked with the woman's, she'd had the almost uncontrollable urge to bare her fangs at her, and drag her out of the Captain's office by the hair until her scalp bled. It was obvious that things had been quite tense between Munakata and that woman, especially with the latter's raised voice countered by the former's cold, clipped tones.

Now, as the door shut – short of slamming - behind the unwelcome visitor, Amira turned to the Blue King, feeling worried. His shoulders were stiff with tension, a dark, deadly aura hanging in the air around him. " Did I come at a bad time? " she asked gently.

The battle weary Munakata sighed, and shook his head. " I am unsure how to answer that, Arashikage-kun, " he admitted before sitting on the steps leading to the Japanese styled section of his office. His eyes moved appreciatively over her petite figure, clad in the uniform of the Blue Clan. It was in the style that his men wore, and yet, it fitted her perfectly. " Your new uniform fits you, I see, " he noted, smiling in spite of his dark mood. " Come here. "

Amira blushed at the Captain's compliment. " Thank you, Sir, " she answered, coming to stand in front of him. " I just got back from visiting Anna, and getting my things. I wanted to show this to you earlier, but… "

His smile was bitter. " How much did you hear? " he asked.

" Not much, " Amira confessed. " Although I heard enough to tell me that something was wrong. " She thought for a moment. " May I ask who that woman was? She had the Gold Clan aura around her. "

For the first time since she'd met him, the Blue King was unable to look her in the eye. He turned away slightly, his eyes fixing on the bookshelf behind her. " She seems to be a messenger of the Gold Clan, " he confirmed. " She repeated His Excellency's demands that I hand you over, although I repeated my answer from last night. " His eyes moved to her, noting the suddenly guilt ridden look on her face. " Do not blame yourself, " he told her. " Even when I rose as the Blue King, His Excellency was continuously trying to make me subservient to him. "

She snorted. " Subservient isn't you, or your style, " she observed. " I wouldn't have agreed to join your clan if I saw that you were letting yourself be controlled. "

" I would not be a King if I had allowed myself to become someone's puppet, " he agreed.

Her next move surprised both of them, but she couldn't bring herself to back down now.

Staring down at the floor, Munakata was surprised when Amira's feet entered his line of vision before she knelt before him, and wound her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. Comforted by her closeness and her touch, he let go, and rested his forehead on her shoulder. As her cheek came to rest on his temple, he pulled her closer, resting his hands on her waist before he nudged the area above her collar with his nose.

 _ **Thank you,**_ he thought. _**Thank you for being here…**_


	16. The New Recruits

All eyes turned to the entrance of Scepter 4 as the, Blue Clan's newest members stepped out, one of them accompanied by Saruhiko Fushimi. The bespectacled young man seemed to be keen on playing Hikaru Okamihime's bodyguard, his sharp blue gaze sweeping the open lawn, his bored expression never changing.

* * *

 _On the day he had been initiated into Scepter 4, it had been raining, but the downpour hadn't deterred the Blue King, Reisi Munakata, or the withdrawn, hidden weapons user who had agreed to join his clan. A few minutes before that, Hikaru had accompanied him on his way there, although she stopped at the gates, and continued to watch the young man from a distance. Despite his stoic aloofness, Fushimi was grateful that she was there, had cared enough for him that she didn't mind getting soaked herself. She watched from her place on the branch of the tree that she had climbed as he was accepted into Scepter 4, her umbrella folded beside her, and when it was over, she approached the gates._

" _**Oi! "**_ _Saruhiko frowned when he saw that the silver haired girl was soaking wet despite the umbrella she was carrying._ _ **" You're soaking wet! "**_

 _Hikaru stuck her tongue out._ _ **" So are you, silly! "**_ _she smiled._ _ **" It's not fair that I'm dry and you're not! We're even now! "**_

* * *

They were both visions of beauty to behold.

Despite wearing their uniforms in the style of the men of the Blue Clan, no one could say that it didn't fit them. Their uniforms concealed their bodies while at the same time, enhanced their slim figures just enough so that they could be appreciated.

Hikaru Okamihime, the taller of the two females, had the glory of her silver hair bound in a low, loose braid that was held by a light pink ribbon that Fushimi had bought her last week which was similar to the one she had wrapped around his wrist when they were children, some of the shorter tendrils escaping to caress her earthly beautiful face. She moved with the grace of a wolf when strolling through the forest in a moment of peace, her deep violet eyes meeting those of the young man beside her every now and then, her smile only for him.

Amira Arashikage was fully aware of the glances that the loving pair beside her were giving each other, although she kept silent and minded her own business so she could give them their space. Her eyes were on the Blue King who was standing at the head of the lines that were formed on either side. She breathed an inward sigh of relief at the sight of his calm demeanor, a vast contrast to what she had walked in on last night.

Last night, she had caught a brief glimpse of the anger he seemed to be hiding as he gazed at the woman who had come to see him, and when Amira had held him in her arms, that hard façade had crumbled, revealing a vulnerable side that she suspected that no one had ever seen.

Munakata watched Amira Arashikage and Hikaru Okamihime as they neared him, his violet eyes twinkling as they took in the sight of the little mermaid in the uniform of his clan. She moved with the grace of a night breeze, her beauty so haunting that she could have been a spirit not of this world. The sweeping veil of her black hair hung loose down her back, the side panels held back from her lovely face by a pair of silver Japanese bellflower pins…

* * *

 _She held him for a long time, none of them speaking, her presence melting away the tension from the confrontation with the unwelcome page of his past that looked like she wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. He moved his hands from her waist to her upper arms, a tremor going through him at the chill that pervaded his entire being as Miyuki Hizamaru's face flashed in his mind._

 _Gentle hands continued to hold him in the midst of the chaos that threatened to consume him, refusing to let go…_

 _Amira felt him tremble, and pulled him closer, quietly running her fingers through the glossy strands of his midnight hair. She held him as he trembled, running soothing hands over his back and arms, not asking any questions, just holding him._

 _It was a while before he calmed, but even then, she didn't let go of him; it was as if she knew without being told that he needed to be held, and she didn't judge him for it…._

" _**Thank you… "**_ _he breathed, placing a soft kiss on the side of her neck, the contact sending unfamiliar, warm sensations through her. Closing her eyes, Amira allowed herself to enjoy the warmth and closeness of this moment…_

 _Munakata sighed, and moved his left arm around her waist, startling Amira._

" _**Wh-what..? "**_

 _She gasped when he wound his other arm behind her knees as he rose to his feet, lifting her up._

" _**Uh..! "**_

 _Munakata chuckled as he carried her in his arms , making his way to the door._ _ **" As feisty and stubborn as you are, "**_ _he told her._ _ **" It would not benefit you to deprive yourself of sleep – even for my sake. "**_

 _Amira felt her face turn bright pink in less time than it took for her inhale._ _ **" I-I can walk, Captain! "**_ _she protested, squirming to try and get him to put her down, with no success._ _ **" Please put me down! "**_

 _He smiled down at her as he turned off the lights in the office before exiting, and locking the door._

 _It was dark and starting to quiet down as he carried her to her room, and thankfully, no one saw them. Without realizing it, Amira settled down and wound her arms around his neck, pillowing her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes._

 _When she opened her eyes, he had pulled off her boots, and lain her on her bed, pulling her duvet up to her chin as he did so. She saw her uniform coat hanging from a hanger._

" _**Goodnight, little mermaid, "**_ _he whispered, bending down and touching his forehead to hers._

 _Everything could have been a dream, but when she opened her eyes again, the horizon was the color of his eyes with the rising of the sun._

 _But she knew that it had all been real when she saw what was on her bedside table…._

* * *

 _ **So,**_ he thought as she came to stand in front of him. _ **You wore them.**_

The sight of Amira Arashikage wearing his gift for this particular occasion filled Munakata with a sense of joy and contentment – something he hadn't thought he would ever feel again. But now, as he thought of it, he knew that those feelings coursing through him now had never been present during the time he had been with Miyuki Hizamaru and Mitsuo Shokichi.

He bought those hairpins yesterday afternoon while taking a stroll several hours before Miyuki Hizamaru strode into his office. For some reason, he had ended up going to the open market, and found a stall that sold trinkets of all kinds. He had chosen the Japanese bellflower pins because they had been simple, but beautiful, just like Amira Arashikage; from his interactions with the young lady, she had struck him as simple and low key, never flamboyant.

After he accepted Hikaru Okamihime into Scepter 4, and handed the young she-wolf her sword, which she decided to name Hesperides, he moved onto Amira Arashikage, enveloping her in his aura. It was noticeable how the blue aura seemed to wash over her, just like the waves of the ocean; when the Captain of Scepter 4's aura became hers, and vice versa, he handed the young Strain her sword, which she named Astraea.

 **Scepter 4 had two new recruits.**

* * *

An hour after both females were accepted into Scepter 4 and everyone went back to work, Munakata invited his newest recruits and Fushimi to have lunch with him, extending the invitation to the other members of the Special Squad. The other members of the squad – including Awashima who was still smarting from Amira's point blank choice of words about how she poisoned everyone's food with red bean paste, declined, so in the end, the four of them ate together. Much to the Blue King's amusement, and Amira's, Fushimi removed all the vegetables from his own dish, only to have them eaten by Hikaru who gave him some of the meat on her plate.

It was around that time that the Red Clan walked in, led by Mikoto Suoh himself since they couldn't eat at the HOMRA bar due to some renovations being made. The tension between the two clans, along with their respective Kings was felt by everyone present, although it seemed to break when Anna Kushina, who had been hiding behind the Red King, peered around him, and caught sight of Amira. Her black haired friend smiled and stood up to greet her with a loving embrace as the little albino ran to her.

As much as she wanted Anna to sit with her, the Amira knew that the child wanted to be with her Clan, so she allowed her to go to them, kissing her precious albino softly on the forehead before she went. Both Munakata and Amira noticed how Fushimi and Hikaru had simply looked at – and ignored – a rough looking, somewhat brash Red Clansman on a skateboard who had turned red while glaring at them, before turning his back, and sitting at a table near the window. The audible clicking of Fushimi's tongue while he drank some water wasn't missed by Amira, although she knew better than to ask what was the deal between him and the Red Clansman while there were so many people around.

* * *

They were put in the Information Department, their immediate superior being Saruhiko Fushimi.

Much to the surprise of everyone ( except Munakata and Fushimi ), both females did their work well, managing their tasks with minimal supervision – which was almost none.

After Hidaka's run in with the Information Department's chief, he notably kept his distance from Hikaru Okamihime, especially because Fushimi would glare at him if he tried to get near her. Everyone working in close proximity of Saruhiko Fushimi seemed to recognize that he and the silver haired Strain were in an unofficial relationship, constantly paired with one another during assignments. They worked together very well, each seeming to complement the other.

 _ **It was as if each was the missing part of the other…**_

Amira Arashikage worked well with the said pair, but it was noted that on more than one occasion, she managed to accomplish her assigned tasks on her own – whether in the office, or on the field. Her combat skills – whether hand to hand or with a weapon - were on par, or maybe even surpassed – Hikaru Okamihime since she had grown up holding a sword, resulting in her beating Lieutenant Awashima twice during kendo sessions in the Scepter 4 dojo since her arrival.

Captain Munakata also seemed to be keeping an eye on her – not because she was a deadly Strain when crossed, but because he seemed to enjoy her company, and vice versa. She was also the only member of the Special Squad who wasn't afraid of the Blue King whenever he decided to play games or socialize with his men; in fact, she seemed quite amused, especially whenever the others were fidgeting with discomfort. It became normal to see her playing chess, or any type of word game with the Blue King until the wee hours of the morning, or to see her having dinner with him at a restaurant, or accompanying him to the book shop to find something to read.

Some of the Blue Clansmen speculated that Amira wasn't afraid of Munakata due to her heritage and abilities; others wondered if it was the mutual hobbies they shared ( on more than one occasion, they were seen to trade books, or work on a puzzle together ).

She seemed to be a bit of a mystery to those who knew almost nothing about her except that she was highly intelligent, anti-social, and somewhat bad tempered when pushed or crossed, obviously impatient with Andy Domyouji's childishness, and Akira Hidaka's tactless optimism that always seemed to cause trouble.

* * *

She had already changed into her sleeping attire – a long sleeved nightgown that reached her ankles, and had just left the Information Department after finishing her report when someone shrieked louder than a banshee, startling her. Turning her head towards the direction of the sound, Amira found herself looking at Domyouji and Hidaka who were both gaping at her in horror, their profiles backlit by the single light at the end of the already darkened hallway.

These two were really starting to irritate her. " Just what the living hell do you two idiots think you're doing, causing a racket at thirty minutes before midnight?! " she demanded, turning around fully while placing her hands on her hips. " Other people are already asleep, in case you failed to notice! "

Munakata was still going through the reports on his desk when he heard the noise at the same time that Fushimi and Hikaru were about to round the corner as they were on their way back from getting some coffee. All three individuals made their way towards the source, stopping in their tracks when they saw a furious Amira Arashikage clad in a long nightdress that hid her figure confronting the horrified pair of Andy Domyouji and Akira Hidaka, her black hair seeming to float around her as she glared at them.

All in all, she looked really scary at the moment.

" What is all this noise about? "

All eyes turned in the direction of the Blue King who was taking in the scene with an amused expression on his face.

" Uh… " Hidaka swallowed, feeling foolish. " Domyouji-san and I mistook Arashikage-chan for a ghost just now, Sir. "

" Good grief! " the said female exhaled in exasperation. " It's just me, for crying out loud! Try double checking before you draw any conclusions! You caused all that fuss for nothing! "

" Tch, " Fushimi clicked his tongue in irritation. " These two are such idiots. "

 _ **I couldn't agree more,**_ she thought, glancing at her friend's bespectacled beau.

" Go to sleep, you two, " Amira told the abashed pair. " Your lack of sleep seems to be impairing your comprehension. " A sudden thought struck her, and she reached over to turn on the overhead light, her hair no longer floating. The corridor flooded with light as she flipped the switch just outside the Information Room. Everyone could now see that she wasn't clad in white, but in a sky blue nightgown.

Amira turned towards Munakata, noting his amused smile, and the look in his violet eyes that she couldn't comprehend. " My apologies for the unnecessary disturbance, Sir, " she bowed in apology.

" It is quite understandable, Arashikage-kun, " Munakata acknowledged, moving closer. " In poor lighting, you would easily be mistaken for a ghost – an onryo, perhaps – however, at the same time, " his eyes moved to the two clansmen who had caused all the noise. " Domyouji and Hidaka jumped to conclusions. It is best for all of us to get some rest, and think nothing more of tonight's episode. Goodnight to all of you. "

" Goodnight, Sir. "

Munakata chuckled as he made his way back to the office.


	17. Unguarded

" Do you have any plans for your day off, Arashikage-kun? "

Amira looked up from the report she was giving, wondering if Munakata was teasing her; when she saw his violet eyes focused directly at her, she realized that he was serious.

She felt her cheeks turning pink. " Uh… no, Sir, " she admitted. " I was planning on going to visit Anna, however, Kusanagi-san said that Tatara Totsuka was taking her strawberry picking. "

A soft understanding dawned in the Blue King's eyes, and he nodded. " I see, " he said, remembering the reports about the little girl becoming speechless after her paternal aunt had forgotten her following the traumatizing events of the Nanakamado Incident. He was well aware that the Red Clan had swallowed their pride by asking the girl in front of him to help Anna find her voice despite the fact that she was from the Blue Clan since they knew how much she cared for her, and Amira hadn't hesitated to try. He was also aware that his young clansman was still emotionally scarred from that time since she had lost her father, and been tortured in one night, even though she never spoke about her ordeal.

The signs were quite visible to anyone who took the time to try and look past her stoic demeanor, not to mention her bad temper: on more than one occasion, when she'd thought that she was alone, Munakata had seen her sitting alone behind the dojo, her pain filled eyes looking inward, her expression one of loss and pain, her hands clenched in her lap to stop their shaking. She tried to hide her agony from him and everyone around her, but he could see it as clearly as the earth at sunrise; sometimes, she would slip, and a crack would appear in her expressionless mask, allowing her fears to surface, resulting in her shrinking away from those around her. Several of the men had reported that she was quite quick to anger when they tried to flirt with her, making it a point to remind the men – verbally and physically if the latter was needed - that she wasn't there to tolerate them when they made advances on her; she was there to work.

" I will be visiting my family on your day off, " Munakata revealed. " I was wondering if you would like to accompany me? " He watched in amusement as her already wide green eyes became the size of saucers, her lips slightly parted, the combination forming and expression of surprise at his invitation.

One of the reasons why he had been particularly intrigued by Amira Arashikage was her naivete regarding some things despite her emotional scars, and her tendency to get caught off guard at certain moments despite how aloof she was around people. The Blue King considered himself to be lucky that he was one of the few who were able to catch a glimpse of the soft side that she rarely displayed…

" _**Sir…?! "**_ She was sure that she had misunderstood him.

Munakata chuckled softly, rising to her feet. " It was not a jest, Arashikage-kun, " he smiled, moving around his desk before perching on its edge, directly in front of her, and folding his arms.

Amira swallowed, feeling her face turn completely pink. Munakata was so close that one of his legs was touching hers, and she could feel his warmth. " I… isn't that a little too presumptuous of me? " she asked, suddenly feeling awkward. " Your family doesn't know me… "

" My brother is somewhat acquainted with you since you are the one who brought his wife to the hospital on the day she gave birth to their children, " he reminded her. " Although you made a French exit as soon as they were delivered; I would say that it is time you met them. "

" Do they even know I'm working for you, Captain? "

At her question, a secretive, yet knowing smile slowly lit the Blue King's face as the memory of his earlier conversation with his brother flashed in his mind.

* * *

" _**What?! "**_ _Taishi Munakata practically yelled into the phone._ _ **" The girl who rushed Inari to the hospital is working for you, and you never said anything?! "**_

 _Munakata leaned back in his chair, chuckling at his more talkative brother's reaction._ _ **" Yes, she is, "**_ _he confirmed._ _ **" However, it has only been recently. The day that the twins were born was our first official meeting; I spoke with her a few times after that before she agreed to join Scepter 4. "**_

" _**So what's she like? "**_ _Taishi asked his younger brother._ _ **" When I saw her, she struck me as pretty aloof and formal; she also seemed a bit snobbish, and impatient. "**_

 _The Blue King smiled._ _ **" Yes, she acts that way with most people, "**_ _he confirmed._ _ **" But she is quite soft hearted and kind. "**_ _He sombered as he remembered what he had read about her background, and the few times her inner fears had made themselves visible._ _ **" She is an introverted, somewhat troubled young lady, thus her taciturn approach. "**_

 _Both brothers were silent for a moment. Finally, Taishi Munakata spoke._ _ **" You care about her, don't you? "**_

 _His younger brother was silent._

" _**Why don't you bring her over one of these days? "**_ _Taishi suggested._ _ **" I bet Mom and Dad would like to meet her, considering the role she played when the kids came along; Inari would also be happy to see her since she never got to thank her properly for bringing her to the hospital. "**_

 _The younger Munakata chuckled._ _ **" I will need to ask her first, "**_ _he pointed out._ _ **" She is a stubbornly independent young lady who has her own mind, and would not appreciate having others make her decisions for her. "**_

 _His older brother gave a nervous laugh._ _ **" She sounds like a tough girl. "**_

" _**She is… "**_

* * *

Amira wondered for the thousandth time _what_ _the hell she was doing_ as she rode in the passenger seat of the Scepter 4 car that he Blue King had taken to drive them to his family home. Knowing that being seen together would attract unwanted attention and make tongues wag, they had agreed to meet at a discreet distance from headquarters.

Amira left first, walking for a few minutes until she reached the end of the block and turned right at the corner, trying to calm her racing heart. When she heard the vehicle pull up, she turned, her eyes meeting those of the man driving. Trying not to think of how their rendezvous seemed like a date, she was about to open the door and climb into the passenger seat when he surprised her by opening the door on the driver's side, and crossing over to where she was, smiling when he saw her startled expression as she reached for the handle.

" Allow me, " he said, reaching over and opening the door for her.

Amira felt her face turn pink. _**Now**_ it was starting to feel like a date. " Thank you, Captain, " she breathed softly, and turned to climb into the car. She nearly jumped out of her skin, and had to remind herself who she was with so that her hands wouldn't lash out to deliver an otherwise injuring blow when she felt his hand take hold of her elbow as he assisted her into her seat before crossing back to the driver's side and doing the same.

 _ **Nice to know gentlemen aren't an extinct species,**_ she thought as she fastened her seatbelt. Keeping her eyes averted as the Captain turned the car in the direction of his home, and she settled into her seat, watching the scenery go by.

The Blue King glanced at his young clansman, noticing that she had fallen asleep five minutes into the drive. It was alright, though; he knew that she had stayed up long past her shift yesterday after her reports were done to finish her laundry so she wouldn't have to worry about that particular chore today.

Amira Arashikage had agreed to his request / invitation to meet his family after some persuading, her acceptance had filled him with a strange sense of peace and relief. He had confirmed via text to his older brother that he would be bringing her today, and when Taishi had called him as he was preparing to leave, Munakata found that the call was on loudspeaker. His sister in law had sounded excited to finally meet the girl who had helped her on the day her children had been brought into the world, and his mother informed him that there was something that she would like him to see when he arrived with their guest.

In her lap, the young Strain had a lavender bag that looked like it had come from either a boutique, or a gift shop alongside the large tote bag she'd brought with her; Munakata couldn't help but wonder what was in the bag that would require such a big size.

" Arashikage-kun… We've arrived. "

* * *

Amira became conscious of the tall shadow bending over her at about the same time she had registered the deep voice that had spoken. She woke slowly, blinking to find to her embarrassment that Captain Munakata had already parked the car, crossed over to the passenger side, and undid her seatbelt as he'd coaxed her awake.

He was so close right now that she could feel his warmth, and see the violet color of his eyes despite the way that his body was blocking the light; she even caught the scent that brought to mind the snow capped mountains on a quiet night under the full moon.

 _ **Everything that was him…**_

She went from drowsy to fully awake in one leap. Munakata pulled out and straightened to his full height as he caught sight of the change in her demeanor, an amused twinkle in his eyes as she suddenly jerked upright and rubbed her eyes.

" _I fell asleep?! "_ the black haired girl almost shrieked in disbelief. She quickly clambered out of the passenger seat unaided only to have her heel catch the metal step, causing her to trip.

 _ **Oh, boy.**_

Amira flailed helplessly, while stubbornly keeping a hold on the bag she'd brought with her, anticipating having her knees and palms – possibly along with her nose – collide with the asphalt, only for the Captain to step forward and catch her with an arm around her waist.

Amira instantly felt her face burning at the contact as Munakata steadied her with his strong arms, one around her waist, while one hand gripped her elbow. She felt humiliatingly helpless as she clung to his other arm with her free hand, her forehead coming into contact with his chest, once again feeling the warmth he radiated.

" Are you alright? " he asked gently, his deep voice tinged with concern.

She couldn't bring herself to look up at him, feeling absolutely humiliated, merely nodding. " Yes Sir, " she answered, her heart pounding from the encounter. " Thank you. "

 _ **She was feeling humiliated, and something else…**_

 _ **What is this I'm feeling?**_ she wondered.

Amira could feel embarrassment and humiliation coursing through her after her near collision with the ground, and yet… the feeling of the Captain's arms around her, along with the warmth of his body still lingered.

 _ **And it hadn't felt good…**_

 _ **It had been…**_

 _ **Pleasurable….**_

 _ **She'd wanted him to keep on holding her….**_


End file.
